Soul Lights Foreshadowed Dusk
by MysticMew
Summary: Crystal Tokyo is just a few months away when the peaceful lives of the Senshi are thrown into utter chaos again. First main story arc.
1. Phase One: Revelations

Title: Soul Lights

Subtitle: Foreshadowed Dusk (1/3)

Status: Alpha

Author: Matthias aka MysticMew

Email: Minaru@gmx.de

Beta-reader: Ayrki

Rating: R

Category: Action/Adventure, Angst/Dark, Drama Romance, Crossover/Fusion (somewhat)

Fandoms: Sailormoon (manga), bits of Tenchi Muyo (OVA), Card Captor Sakura (manga)/Slayers, Ranma 1/2, Inuyasha, Vision of Escaflowne, Magic Knight Rayearth, Skies of Arcadia Legends

Main Pairing: Minako/Hotaru/Makoto, with a side focus on Sakura/Tomoyo/? and Lina/Amelia/Sylphiel (which in a way is the same)

Timeline: Five years after the end of the manga. This is the first Main Story Arc of the Soul Lights Continuum

Summary: Crystal Tokyo is just a few months away when the peaceful lives of the Senshi are thrown into utter chaos again. Can Minako survive the various hardships suddenly thrust into her path and can the Senshi survive their final battle to realize the future they worked so hard for?

Distribution: Soul Lights Continuum () Starsinlove-group (), ff.net (www.fanfiction.net), Mediaminer (www.mediamer.org), ASMR (www.moonromance.net), Shoujo Ai.com (www.shoujoai.com). Anyone else, you can have it but please ask first, 'kay?

Disclaimer: See individual disclaimers below intro

Story Disclaimer: Copyright©2004 by Matthias Engel

Note: () indicates change of POV to the listed character, if empty then the following will be done in third person, a question mark indicates a character who is either unknown yet to the reader or should stay that way for now. Indicated time/place if necessary

Foreword

I have at length wrestled with myself… and Maia, whether or not we really should do this. I had started a few other Mega-Crossovers awhile ago while I was still writing German-only (or at least mostly) and they had simply become too big to handle after awhile, especially for my usual POV style. Once again Maia has won though (not that it is a healthy thing to strictly go against your muse) and after an inspiration boost the last days the story finally began to shape up and head into the direction I wanted it to.

This will be a long ride, don't be fooled, but after indulging in the Forbidden Cards arc both Maia and I are pretty damn determined to see this through. I think I'm experienced enough now to handle the kind of character width that I'm toying with, besides this will mostly be a BSSM story after all with other series slowly coming into the greater picture.

This story arc WILL mostly focus on the Senshi, especially three of them but will definitely lead up to the main event, introducing the main characters from other anime/manga that I intend to use.

Now, have fun reading, let us hope that I prevail with this experiment.

******************************

January 4, 2001 (?)

The morning sun had barely crept up high enough to bask the yard of the small shrine into its first rays and so the cold winter air sent chills over my body through the altogether too light temple robes. Wearing thicker clothes underneath didn't help much since it was impossible to put on anything heavier without making it look odd and tasteless…

Letting my gaze sweep over the yard, I gave a soft sigh of annoyance and picked up the broom again that I had momentarily put against the outer wall of the living quarters. It was always the same after New Year and pretty much at least the following week. Working at a shrine around this time of year wasn't exactly the kind of activity a young schoolgirl would like. Not that I really minded that much since I didn't have all that much else to do. However, the increase in careless, self-centered customers became more and more a bother in the last years. Western influences had grown and resulted in an increase in tourists coming by who didn't pay that much attention where they left their trash and it ended up mostly on the shrine grounds. Many shrines had complained about this already, it was becoming a common plague…

Moving around I inspected the overall damage and sighed again. I REALLY didn't have time for this. Babasan wanted me to help her prepare for the upcoming services. New Year and most of the following January was always the busiest time of the year for the shrines in Japan. Sometimes I wished it would be as comparable quiet here as it was back in Germany. Not that I wanted to go back but thinking that the only thing you'd have to deal with there – and probably not even by yourself – were the remains of the fireworks would be a great relief right now.

"It'll take forever to clean that mess up," I said in a dull, emotionless voice, already pitying myself. I didn't hate working, in fact I was pretty content doing my share of chores around here. My mood had drastically worsened the last few months though and it was this kind of thing that managed to wear my patience enormously thin.

Growling uncharacteristically, I closed my eyes and concentrated. I could feel the cool morning breeze shift around me, wrapping like invisible tendrils around my outstretched palm. For a moment no breeze could be felt on the entire yard. Then I opened my eyes, taking in all of the dirt covering the holy grounds with probably almost a day worth cleaning.

A sharp wind momentarily blew across the yard and the buildings on it. Not just an uncontrolled, natural element but a calculated rush of air with a clear purpose. Moving my hand just a little bit, the breeze picked up in intensity, pulling on the leftovers of indifferent visitors. While not visible it seemed like a small tornado had formed in the center of the yard and then dropped all the gathered trash in a neat little pile conveniently on the ground, leaving the surroundings flashing clean.

Dropping my hand I allowed myself a satisfied smirk. "There. That's better." Spirits considerably lifted I proceeded to dispose of the pile with a whistled tune on my lips and soon found myself finished even before the first hour had passed.

Striding into the main building I went looking for the shrine keeper and found the elderly woman as expected already seated in the prayer room. At the sound of my soft footsteps she looked up with her gray-blue eyes, smiling serenely. "Already finished with cleaning, Lisa-chan?" The look in her eyes was a knowing one and made me blush slightly. What I just did was certainly not like me, misusing my powers like this.

I bowed slightly. "Gomen nasei, Obabasama. I did not wish to misuse my gift like this. I merely had the best intentions in mind."

The old woman was far from upset though. "I understand. It really has become a hassle and I'd appreciate your help in here more than cleaning outside anyway. A good morning by the way. Have you slept well?" Once again there was that knowing gleam but her expression was much more serious this time. Babasan tended to worry a lot even though she never really showed it outwardly. After living with her for so long I had learned to read those little things in order to guess her mood and reactions to various things.

Hesitating slightly, I finally said, "I do not wish to bother you with it, Babasan." As a matter of fact I had slept just as well as I had in most of the last days… which was rather troubled and clearly uncomfortable, tormented… no, that was too strong a word… assaulted by dreams that stirred feelings of familiarity and purpose in me. "We have a lot to prepare."

The older woman nodded after a time of silence. "Very well. Then go balance yourself first. I won't need you for another hour or so and you don't look very presentable for the public eye this way." I flushed slightly at the reprimand and instinctively went with one hand through my long purple hair which I had to admit hadn't survived long from being combed this morning. Truth be told I probably hadn't put that much attention to my outward appearance at all. Babasan's expression softened. "Go meditate, child. I'm sure you will feel better afterwards."

I nodded shortly, gave a slight bow and went to comply with the suggestion.

******************************

The year 2001. The world has entered the new Millennium and the birth of a new age is proclaimed. Yet, the true birth is still to come, now in tangible distance. The Senshi prepare for the promised rebirth of their kingdom, enjoying the last months of normal life.

But while events unforeseen begin to shatter the tranquility and happiness of their everyday life, in the shadows something old and absolute dark is stirring. Soon it will show its face and then, then the true battle will begin…

******************************

M&M DreamWorks Presents

Soul Lights

Foreshadowed Dusk

Phase One: Revelations

A Mega-Crossover/Fusion Epic

Based on the works of Takeuchi Naoko and all other assorted authors

Bishoujo Senshi Sailormoon(c)Takeuchi Naoko

Card Captor Sakura, Magic Knight Rayearth(c)CLAMP

Slayers(c) Hajime Kanzaka, Rui Araizumi

Tenchi Muyo(c)Pioneer

Inuyasha, Ranma 1/2(c)Takahashi Rumiko

The Vision of Escaflowne(c)Kawamori Shoji, Yatate Hajime

Skies of Arcadia Legends(c)Nintendo, Sega, Overworks

******************************

(Minako)

Glancing left and right I frowned at the crowd around me. Passersby enjoying the days after New Year that for most normal workers was laced with holidays more than the Tokyo Tower had support beams. The hectic, joyful party mood had more or less decreased and there weren't even that much people out in the streets at this hour. Only a few shops were open since most shops tended to use the few days in-between the traditional three day holiday and the next weekend to remain closed, giving their workers extra vacation. However, the few people that were up and about wandered the sidewalks happily, without a care in the world and probably with the absolute trust that their new year would be wonderful and that they would be successful in their individual, standing on a very firm fundament career.

Kami, how much I hated them right now!

The worst thing was that barely an hour ago I had been one of them. I had been absolutely positive that the new year would be wonderful. Sure, there was the thing that, according to the Endymion of the future, the rise of Crystal Tokyo would be this year and since Usagi's birthday was right in the middle that would only leave half of it for us to enjoy. But all the Senshi had managed to make the best out of that time after the last battle with Galaxia so far. And I had promised myself as a New Year's resolution that I would be savoring my own glamorous career to the fullest. After all I hadn't worked so hard to just quit now than I still had half a year left.

Of course those were the thoughts of someone who came straight from the holiday parties with fun and no care in the world about the tomorrow or possible problems, those were the thoughts of someone who had absolute trust in her abilities and that all that was needed to do was check in with her co-workers and get her confirmation that she was still playing center role. So I had come to the studios of the uprising musical company "Seven Stars" just an hour ago. I had risen to the lead actress within months and could say without sounding self-centered that they probably wouldn't be where they were now if not for me. Musical had not been really my prime goal at first but I had really come to enjoy the combination of talents like acting, physical activity and singing. Most of them came natural for me and the rest I had acquired through hard work.

And that, that, THAT… insensitive, ungrateful, arrogant bastard had the decency to tell me in my face that I wouldn't play lead role this year. Not only that but he had apparently found about my condition and pretty much told me to take a break for the time being. Kuso, I hated him so much for being so damn polite about it and so genuinely reasonable too. There wasn't even anything I could have said without shouting into his face that the next half year was all that I had left because I would help ruling the world in an utopia-like kingdom for the rest of the millennia. Oh yeah, that would have gone over well.

And all just because of THAT.

Apparently not only he but a lot of critics had seen a decrease in my performance at the New Year play that while subtle was still noticeable for those who knew me better and knew where to look. I had tried to downplay it until Yakamuri-san, the head director, had flat out confronted me with my impending condition. That had pretty much settled the affair, crushed my good spirit and my hopes for the first half of the year and all that because of something that I had even no knowledge about its cause altogether. I hadn't been with a man sexually in… well, long enough. Besides, it wasn't like I would just let anyone… Ah, to hell with this. It was biological impossible, so why on Earth had I been told just shortly before Christmas that I was about two months pregnant?

There really hadn't been anyone. I SHOULD know after all. Of course I had told the poor gynecologist that. He was a good man really, had been recommended to me by Ami years back when I had some minor complications of a totally different and now unimportant kind, but when he told me about the pregnancy, I was pretty sure that the man had gotten rather scared at how livid I had become and it hadn't helped at all that my denials sounded hollow against the cold facts. I had seen this coming. I had understood the implications a pregnancy would mean for the rest of the year. Not only the complications for the rise of Crystal Tokyo. I was sure that would be less of a problem and compromises could be made there. Yet the impact of the remain of my short social and normal life had been slammed into my face like red warning lights. This outcome was inevitable but I had not expected it to come so early.

I actually welcomed the distraction as my sensitive ears picked up shouting and sounds of a commotion around the corner. Never having slacked off in training over the years, the reflex was born from instinct and before I even realized what I was doing, I peeked around the corner, pressed against the wall. It was one of the supermarkets of the area and it was apparently being robbed right now.

I grinned but the grin, had the gangsters seen it right now, would have promised not much joy for them. That was the perfect distraction. I needed to get my mind off of the frustration I felt from the whole situation and the near end of my career before it ended up totally consuming me. While I hadn't been happy about the pregnancy I did heed the warnings about already erratic moods. Too much stress would neither be good for my and surely not for the child's condition.

Now, for an entrance.

I frowned when I couldn't find the compact in my dimensional pocket right away. It almost felt for a moment as if it had been somewhere else entirely… which was silly of course since I always had the thing right at hand ever since Artemis gave it to me now almost eight years ago.

Chasing away the silly notion, I raised the compact. "Moon Power, Transform! Turn me into a police officer!" There was a flash of light but the familiar tickling sensation of the magical change remained absent as I looked down on me in startled disbelief. Why did…?

Ah… Silly me, I chided myself a few moments later with a sigh, signaling renewed frustration though coming from a different direction this time and not helping at all to alleviate my sour mood. More like fueling it further. Of course, I should have known. Being pregnant obviously meant no physical changes either. The compact was partly illusion magic but it had some real transformations elements as well. Essentially all that should have happened was for me to have a different outfit now. It wasn't like I said I wanted to turn into a male police officer, not that I thought THAT change would be anything but an illusion. It had certainly been an illusion the one time I did this in my time as Sailor V…

…

Holy Crap!

My mental musing came to an abrupt stop as I stared at the compact with a look that could have been described as comical if not for the dawning shock and slight horror that surely must have reflected in my eyes. I didn't notice as the police arrived at the crime scene, easily overwhelming the robbers who had been caught off guard. My mind had went back a few months. To my own birthday party, to a night where only Makoto and young Hotaru had remained, filled with a lot of fun but also a lot of alcohol and some resulting… bonding. Neither of us had really been ashamed of what happened at that time and it wasn't like there had been any binding obligations resulting from this night. Just a little fun and pleasure, no harm done…

I fumbled nervously with the compact while still staring at it intently, trying to recall some of the actual events that ended up to the somewhat embarrassing situation the following morning. But the images were really fuzzy and I hadn't had spend much time to actually think about it afterwards. Neither of us had mentioned the incident afterwards and it was obviously done with that for all involved parties. But now…

"I… I think I have to better ask Artemis if that is even possible…" I murmured to myself and turned around to resume my walk home, not so much frustrated anymore right now but actually rather dizzy and overwhelmed with the recent and sudden discovery. I desperately hoped that somehow that silly idea would turn out as just that. Silly. However, I usually trusted my instincts, and my gut told me that I would be left disappointed with that hope.

******************************

(Makoto)

Whistling a melody that I dimly remembered but if asked couldn't have told you from where, I went about the daily task of watering the various plants positioned all around the small apartment. The others tended to joke that it was amazing to get all those flowers and plants stuffed in here and still having room for one person… and lately now even two people to live. However, no one really complained and I got the feeling that the opposite was actually the case when they came over. I loved the special atmosphere created in my little, private indoors garden, the fragrance of the different kind of flowers filling the room was soothing and alluring at the same time, making for a nice, cozy and all together pleasant atmosphere that made it easy to relax.

The apartment was quiet, a welcomed change from the general noise level of New Year. Getting everyone together to spend and celebrate the New Year Holidays in the familiar circle had definitely been nice though. Over the last five years since Galaxia there hadn't been many of those gatherings that included everyone. Yet, now Haruka and Michiru had returned from their latest tour – which they steadfastly albeit a certain sense of humor termed "patrolling the world" – to spend the last half year of normal life in Japan with everyone else. Even Ami had found time to take time off from working at her mother's hospital to join the rest of us in the holiday festivals. After all, this would be our last one before the big change – always assuming that this change would actually come… which none of us really doubted.

Frowning I moved one of the pots a little bit to the side, my special bonds with plants of all types allowing me to sense that this one needed a little more sunlight in the future to grow properly. I took great care and pride attending to all of them after all. They were a little like my children. A part of me had always wanted a child but I didn't think that would be in my near or distant future. _Maybe later when I am… MUCH older._ I chuckled slightly at the thought.

"There," I said satisfied with the new arrangement and smiled when sensations of gratitude and love flowed into me from the now much more happy plant. Ever since the little – well, not so little anymore – Firefly had moved in all of my children seemed just that extra bit more healthy, more vivid and sated. While my gift allowed me a much deeper understanding of nature than other people, hers allowed her a similar yet in its depth more different empathy to everything harboring life in general. The plants definitely reveled in her presence, seeming to grow and prosper just that little bit more.

Putting the can aside, I opened the balcony door to let in some fresh air. Shivering a little at the winter cold I stepped outside for a moment to look out over the city below. It was about noon and most of those that had to work again would soon turn in for lunch. Normally I would have started to cook something by now. I had gotten used to it, doing the main dishes for the holidays and so it was unusual to not cook for anyone but myself today. The others were all back in their daily lives. While college wouldn't restart again until the beginning of next week, most of them had other obligations or fields of work that they had or wanted to attend to. A fact that made me quite happy despite the damper that had put on group activities these last years. It had been more or less of a royal order though or as Usagi put it after the post marriage bliss had worn off: "I am the happiest person alive right now and I wish the same for you. So, I expect you to use our remaining time to make your own dreams come true." And we had mostly. I doubted anyone was truly unsatisfied how the last years had turned out. Most of the others were studying something at the local universities or colleges and also managed to get in side jobs that further followed their own wishes. Rei had more or less taken over the Jinja since her grandfather became ill, Usagi and Mamoru were happily married and each going after their own desires – even our Princess – and Minako had achieved the career she had dreamed of so much. It always brought a wistful smile to my face remembering how much she had – often seemingly futile – worked to achieve her dream. Seeing her happy and so expressive on stage warmed my heart knowing that one of my closest friends had finally reached one of her high-set goals with such blooming success. Watching her perform inspired a sense of beauty and art. You could actually feel her spreading love to the audience, something she always wanted to and did do.

Such a shame she was adamant about chasing every cute – and lately rich and famous – man alive.

Shaking my head, I warded off the unpleasant thought, having long since dealt with my own feelings of the matter, coming out with the result that they were hopeless and both wasted time and melancholy. Besides there had been another option lately to replace the loneliness resulting from the first. Unfortunately that one was probably equally if not more complicated and also deeply entwined with the first which made making a decision or move hard and a fragile action altogether.

Great, now I was reminiscing and musing about my hopeless love life – or lack thereof – again even though I had resolved for the new year that I wouldn't do so, instead enjoying life as it was to its fullest until this chapter of our existence would be permanently closed.

A sharp breeze picked up my ponytail and lured a shiver from my body. The latter was not so much due to the cold alone than the subtle notes carried in the breeze. The whispered messages and unheard nuances that a normal human would never detect. I didn't have Haruka's natural and more pronounced gift to read the wind but we had more or less the same base element affiliation and while I could not understand the whispers literally I could feel the emotions and the general message.

"The wind is changing again," I said aloud. "It's almost as if this planet was afraid of the coming change." Even saying this I knew that the change I was referring to was not connected to Crystal Tokyo. There hardly would be a reason for the planet to fear the coming of our kingdom. There was something different, a different kind of change. Pluto had told us that there wasn't a new enemy to be expected until Crystal Tokyo. Expected. While most of us clung to her words and in most cases trustworthy, accurate information – as rarely as they were given –, I couldn't help but wonder nowadays about the conflicting echoes I got from nature. I had wanted to talk to Haruka and Michiru about that but hadn't found an appropriate moment during the joy-filled and light-hearted holidays. Besides it was very subtle and I had picked up many such shifts over the years that turned out to be of minor interest, not even concerning us or requiring our attention. It might as well be nothing.

Stepping back inside, I suddenly didn't feel so much like cooking. Hotaru wouldn't be back until late afternoon or early evening and I wasn't keen on spending all those hours alone. My thoughts tended to wander and I'd rather keep them out of such gloomy places. Making a decision, I grabbed my keys and coat. I wouldn't need to get to work until next week which didn't mean that I could not enjoy a pleasant meal courtesy of my employer.

******************************

(Hotaru)

Everything around me had faded away, leaving only me and the vast field of seemingly endless proportion. That place that connected everything that was shaped of will and shaped the will itself. It had many names over the years and in the different worlds and dimensions. The realm of magic for some, the Astral Plane for others. From where all energy that manifested in our world as magic or similar elemental powers came, there everything was shaped and anchored. It was a place of absolute purity of will. Here the spirit was totally free and boundless – considering one knew how to connect to this place directly and how to actually manipulate it outside their own special gifts. To understand all that the Astral Plane or whatever you wanted to call it encompassed was impossible. The human mind – probably not even those of higher beings – was not made for such a deep understanding.

However, one could learn to touch it, to comprehend certain key elements. As closer some of those elements were to the gifts you were already used to the easier it was to access them, yet at the same time you realized how tiny you truly were to the whole that shaped what we had taken for a great gift already.

Breathing slowed down to a minimum, regular and even, and eyes closed, the reality I knew had become only a distant concept. The freedom this plane granted was greater than that of our mundane existence. Slowly I reached out with mental hands as I had done so many times during so many sessions before. I sensed the connections, the ley lines that not only connected power but also described a complex network of paths that led to all sorts of different places. On Earth, on the Moon, on the tiny, cold planet Asagiri III several million light years away. Everywhere.

Finally finding what I was searching for I began the difficult process of coaxing those lines of power, reshaping them to my will so that they may become solid. Not the form of solid you might imagine, more in an imaginative, spiritual sense. This was a plane where the will ruled everything and where the strength of one's will could achieve everything. However, I was not really here, I was only connected to this realm through my own power. Truly being in the Astral Plane was more or less impossible. At least not in the physical sense. Spirits and souls traveled here. Those magical and those that had left physical existence altogether. For everyone else, for everyone still with a living body the interaction was a temporal one and it cost a lot of concentration and energy, one of the main factors while using magic in what form ever tended to tire the user quickly.

There. It was done. Before my mental gaze the path had suddenly changed, altering to a optical reflection of the destination I wished to see. A bridge to a place impossible to reach with human technology up to date.

My eyes snapped open and I noted with satisfaction that the image of the place was still there. A more blurry mirror image of what could be seen on the Astral Plane. Here in the physical world it looked more like a giant window with dark, wavering edges had suddenly appeared right in the middle of the room, disrupting space where it filled the air. However, I felt with relief that the portal was fully functional and stable. If I had wanted to I could have now stepped right through it to make a visit to my own guardian planet.

I exhaled slightly, relaxing my body slightly while still maintaining a firm grip on the gateway, testing just how much control and concentration was necessary. Due to my own natural energy supply and Saturn's supreme capacities it was actually rather easy, I noted. You just had to know how it was done. "What do you think, Pu?"

The young woman – though you could hardly use any proper term to describe her ageless features – stepped away from the doorframe she had been leaning against. Of course I had long since been aware of her presence. Her aura tended to send echoes all over the plane. "Looks solid. I would say you have it right now, Hotaru-chan," Meiou Setsuna said with a hint of a smile and pride in her voice.

Letting go of the sliver of control that maintained the gateway, the image collapsed neatly without much of a flashy effect and no consequences at all and I sank back into the comfortable chair behind me complete with arm and backrests. Despite the resources at my disposal I was still rather winded, unused to do such exertion as a conscious effort. "I'm glad. I hate to rely too much on Saturn for those things. I'd rather like to know what I'm doing instead of relenting complete control to her."

Setsuna handed me a cup of coffee which I gratefully accepted. "You have made remarkable progress in combining your own talents with that of Saturn. I know it is more complicated for you, sharing a more active connection with your past live than the others do. But I think if you learn to further compliment each other the advantages will far outweigh the disadvantages."

I made a face at the bitterness of the hot liquid on my lips but took a long sip anyway. "I never think about it this deeply. I am who I am. I can't really explain it." Glancing at Setsuna I asked, "Or could you really explain me what it is like to be the Time Guardian."

For a moment the older woman appeared to be caught off guard before she smiled faintly. "No, I cannot. You are right. We are a little different from the others, that is a fact we have to accept. And I am glad you have accepted that already." With a chiding look she added, "But now I think you should go home and take a rest, young lady. You overexerted yourself enough already."

I glanced out of the window and acknowledge that I had lost all sense of time. It was already getting darker outside. Standing up I stretched my tired muscles, feeling the effects of hours spent meditating in one single position. "You are right, I'd better get home. Besides… I think Mako-chan must be going nuts cooped up at home all alone."

The woman I considered as being so many things – friend, companion, sister, mother – laughed light-hearted. "You are the only one still here anyway, besides me, and I was just checking up on some records. I suppose everyone else is still enjoying the holidays." Finishing my coffee I followed Setsuna out of the room and down the hallways to the elevator. Just as she said, the building was completely empty other than us. At least this floor was but my senses told me where really was no one else here today.

"I just couldn't sleep until I got that right." I giggled softly. "Maybe Makoto's stubbornness is rubbing off on me." Another giggle escaped my lips as I thought about my roommate's antics. Not just once had I caught her outside on the balcony – even in the cold winter – practicing a kata which's form or perfection eluded her. Not that this was a bad thing. Quite frankly I found the trait rather endearing. When the brunette was really serious and focused about something, it was sure to be finished to her perfect satisfaction.

"There is nothing wrong with that," Setsuna agreed with my silent musings when we stepped out of the elevator and finally left the building. "As long as you don't overtax your body and spirit it is perfectly fine to fully concentrate on something." She stopped on the sidewalk to turn to me with a suddenly serious expression. "I am glad you are getting along that well. Haruka is still not happy about you moving out." With a small smile that was on the verge of a grin – something rather rare for the other woman –, she added, "She's still moping about it from time to time."

I returned her amusement and then with a quick goodbye I turned around to make my way home as Setsuna had suggested. However, something was nagging on my mind for awhile now. I had wanted to bring it up earlier but the holidays had seemed so inappropriate for yet unfounded worries. "Pluto?"

Setsuna stopped and turned around, the facial shift in her expression would have not been visible to anyone but me. I had known and did know Sailorpluto in more senses than one and that for longer than any of the other Senshi. I had learned to see the transition from her now everyday guise to that of the oldest Senshi alive. "Hai?"

"You… feel it, too, don't you? That something is approaching…"

"A change." Pluto took up the line of thought. "A change different from the one we are expecting." While you could have thought the words to be questioning, they were more like statements, something rather normal for the Senshi of Time, yet often rather disturbing in certain situations. "Yes, I do. I'm afraid I cannot tell you anything more concrete though. Everything concerning the rise of Crystal Tokyo is blurry in my vision, you know that. And we are so close that it becomes harder to interpret anything while confined to the regular flow of time." A small sigh followed the explanation and I was struck by how much that fact tended to annoy… no, really concerned her.

******************************

(Luna)

"Here you go," I said, passing the glass good old-fashioned milk along to my white-haired companion. I was sorely tempted to revert to coffee at this ungodly hour in order to keep awake but thankfully cats by nature were, while not particular creatures of the night, in many ways nocturnal. That went even more for the Mau kin, the strong blood of mixed cat and warrior making us much more immune to fatigue. In both our feline as well as our human form. Which of course didn't mean that we were prone to laziness.

Therefore it hadn't been the first time that we had been up so late – nearly one in the morning – but it was certainly rare for Artemis to drop by around midnight looking like he had competed in a chase with alley cats with him as bait. While I knew this to have happened from own experience – something about the native kin sensing our difference and feeling usurped or something – that didn't seem to be the problem right now. And there were few things that really got to my long-time partner and recent lover like that. Only a few things got through that joking, sometimes a little macho attitude of his. Of course that got me instantly worried.

Sitting down on the other side of the table, I waited for him to begin and when, after a short while nothing came, I gently probed, "So, what exactly happened? You said you were staying with Minako tonight. I assume your mood has something to do with her?" I carefully kept the voice level down, not wanting to wake the rest of the house. While the Tsukinos by now knew about us, there wasn't a reason to wake them up so late in the night.

Artemis grinned weakly. "You know me too well…" He trailed off and went silent again. Obviously whatever bothered him seemed to be more private than I had at first expected. On the one hand that relieved me since for a moment I had feared some new enemy turned up, discarded that as ridiculous though since the other Mau-jin would have no reason to be secretive about it. On the other hand his attitude implored the seriousness of his troubles and since I had a similar strong bond with Usagi as he had with Minako I at once drew some concerning conclusions.

There wasn't much we had to worry about nowadays for the girls. They all had managed to lead a happy life up to this point and I may say proudly that all of them were as much prepared as children – or more like young adults now – could be for Crystal Tokyo. I had always felt a bit like a mother towards their children for the girls. I've known them so long, in this and my past life. Seeing Usagi and Mamoru happy and out on their own was akin to a vast achievement I was very happy about. They had all matured so well from the young band of fourteen year olds that had little idea about why or how to fight an enemy of their past lives. Now even Usagi had a successful life and to our mutual surprise had even applied for college!

Yet, even though we weren't constantly around the girls anymore – having taken permanent residence in Tsukino-ke after the girls revealed their identities to their families a few years ago – I still cared about them and felt entitled to worry and the same went for Artemis in his own gruff and sarcastic way.

After a few minutes of silence, only the noises of our glasses being emptied and the dim buzz of the refrigerator disrupting the quiet of the night, Artemis sighed wearily. "I really don't know how… or even if I should talk about this. I'm not sure Minako would appreciate anyone else knowing…"

I looked at him sternly and would have assumed a posture with hands on my hips had I been standing. "So, you don't trust me to keep a secret?" I smirked slightly, allowing a bit of understanding to show.

Artemis waved a hand in a marginally frantic manner. "No, no… It's just…" He sighed again and dropped the hand along with his shoulders. "… complicated. Besides, I'm not sure you'd like what happened… especially the incredible mean timing." Sullenly he turned his head to look out of the kitchen window into the shadows of the night outside as if they were hiding some ultimate solution to his worries.

"Nani?" That last part had gotten my attention quite well and now I was determined to get to the bottom of this. Artemis knew me well enough by now and for him to say I wouldn't like whatever happened was even more troubling. Artemis was someone who often liked to downplay things or make me feel better about a bad situation, often being successful at that. That goofy, yet caring attitude was one thing that had always attracted me, since it complimented my own often too serious worldview and sooth my own worries to endurable levels. To have him so morose and worried about a situation was a scarce occurrence.

Gently I reached out to grasp one of his hands over the table, making him look back at me with a resigned expression, as if already knowing that I wouldn't stop pressing until I found out what exactly happened or he clearly asked me to drop the matter. I would, if he really meant it, but one look in his eyes told me enough to know that wasn't the case. Artemis came here to speak about his worries, he just didn't know how to bring it up without feeling like he was betraying Minako's trust.

"Now, tell me," I gently urged. "I can see you want to. I promise I won't bring it up around the others whatever it is but…" I squeezed his hand gently. "That sullen look doesn't belong there and I want my goofy Artemis back. So spill." I smiled and he returned it weakly albeit slowly.

Then his expression shifted to a more serious one. "Do you remember Minako's birthday party last year?"

That beginning threw me a bit but I assumed Artemis needed to just stall a little and explain at the same time. "Um… yeah, sure. Why?" I fondly remembered that one actually as the last official birthday party we had with everyone present. Even Haruka and Michiru had been back from touring the world. Makoto decided to have hers with Hotaru two days from now… well, technically it was tomorrow already. Everyone had a lot of fun that evening.

"After almost everyone had gone home, Makoto and Hotaru were the last still there. Frankly, I'm only telling you what Minako told me since I had gone home with you, too." Rubbing his temples and then taking another long sip from his freshly filled glass, he continued, "To make a long story short. We were all a little… spirited that night. I'm sure you remember." I blushed faintly, remembering quite well that minor detail. There had been some alcohol and everyone had taken to it rather quickly with mutual stress in their school life and jobs being present. I think that had been the first time I had gotten drunk in this time period. After the effects of Galaxia's treatment had worn off we had discovered that our shape-shifting ability had been unlocked again, which was a great relief in some situations to say the least. I was still a little embarrassed that I had consumed more than Artemis that night – who despite what one might think never had been a heavy drinker in the Silver Millennium –, prompting him to almost carry me home.

After allowing himself a smirk at recognizing that I indeed remembered that night, Artemis resumed his tale. "As I said, to make it short. Things got a little more heavy after everyone left. Minako couldn't supply actual details. Those three were rather far gone after all." He chuckled weakly at that memory and then looked at me with a look that told more than any words could ever express. "I believe you can imagine where they found themselves the next morning?"

For a moment I was confused, then it hit me rather hard between the eyes and I blinked slowly. Some things did began to make sense at that moment. Especially Minako's absence from group meetings since the party and maybe some of her odd behavior at the New Year holidays. Usually the Senshi's leader had always taken her duty seriously, even with her tight schedule. "Ah…" I managed to say. "I can guess." Deciding to voice my conclusion and to probe further, I asked, "And Minako feels bad about that or something?" I felt there was more behind it. Artemis wouldn't come to me because of something like that and I doubted it would affect his charge THAT much and THAT long. Artemis would have come earlier to me if that was all that troubled him.

"If it was just so simple," Artemis replied, as if sensing my own thoughts. "Apparently something else happened then. Something she hasn't told me about and which, believe me, left me quite floored and a little hurt. Minako didn't think there was any connection but…" At the exasperated look I turned his way because of the stalling, he sighed again. "Minako is pregnant, Luna."

I'm not sure I sat there for a few seconds or a few minutes until I was able to reply to that in any sort of vocal manner. Quite frankly, I had asked for a direct answer but that one hit me virtually unprepared. I couldn't get my mind around this revelation, so many questions spinning around it in my head. Why hadn't Minako told us? And foremost what did that all have to do with that night's encounter Artemis told me about? There was the connection? "But… how…?" I finally managed to get out, meeting Artemis's sympathizing blue eyes.

Closing his eyes briefly, he reached into his pocket and put something on the table that at closer examination turned out to be a small compact. A small compact with a crescent moon design that radiated strong magical power. Just like the pen I had given Usagi…

A lot of the loose puzzle pieces fell into place with a resounding bang and all I managed was a rather weak, "Oh dear…"

******************************

(Hotaru)

The sky had turned black already when I finally reached the apartment block. And I got there in a much more sober mood than when I had left the school's special wing. Bringing up my suspicions to Setsuna had been one thing. That was only a vague worry for now but then I had practically run into Minako halfway home… or she had run into me. In any case the encounter left me rather uneasy, confused and to not just a little extent hurt. It had become clear the moment I looked at her that something had pretty much upset her today. Or more like several somethings. I had asked her what was wrong, concerned about seeing the normally cheerful and easygoing blonde so distraught, but after some hastened and pretty unconvincing excuses she had brushed me off and was gone before I could really react, the oddest expression in her face that I had ever seen.

It had hurt to be ignored like that. Aino Minako was important to me. More important than she might ever realize… or better would like to realize. What had began as a little infatuation and a mild case of a crush when I grew up… again… had – ever since I decided to alter my age back to the one I would have had, had I not died – changed into something deeper and rather depressing considering the hopelessness of the case. That hurt both me and Saturn which might seem odd to me if I hadn't had the memories clearly in my head of a time long past.

However, that was then. And Aino Minako was not that Venus anymore. Compared to Saturn, who next to Pluto was the oldest Senshi with the most intact memories of all her incarnations, Minako was nothing like that Venus I had once known anymore. Millennia – even more than that – had passed since then and I was not foolish enough to expect something of a person that didn't really exist anymore in that manner.

Don't get me wrong, that was not all that drew me to her. That would have been mere nostalgia and probably not so much my own feelings than that of Saturn, although we were mostly the same now – a rather complicated matter. No, there were a lot of qualities that attracted me to Aino Minako and a lot of those I had gotten to know after Galaxia, when she had taken it upon herself to hone my combat skills since I didn't have much experience in strategy or general combat. Saturn had been mostly an inactive Senshi, only called upon when necessary. The last time she had been in active battle was a very long time ago. Minako had taught me moves and reflexes, improved offense, defense as well as speed and all with a lot of patience. That was the time where I really took an interest in her.

Startled I realized that I had stood outside the apartment for some time now, lost in thought. With a sigh, I softly said to myself, "Who are you kidding? For her it was just a night, a nice one granted, but in the end just a night. No more, no less. It appears not to be in our destiny to be together in this life…" Shaking my head in self-pity I unlocked the door and stepped into the apartment, noting at once while the apartment was lit and obviously occupied Makoto wasn't anywhere in sight. I slipped out of my shoes and jacket, proceeding into the main living room. With a calculated look I took in the fact that no dinner was prepared and a glance into the kitchen showed that obviously lunch hadn't been done there either. I made a quick conclusion. Obviously Makoto really had felt lonely.

Noticing the towel about one of the chairs and spotting light from the bathroom, things fell into place and I had to smile gently. She'd probably dozed off in the bath again. Ever since we got that bathtub she took great pleasure in nearly overstaying the amount of time that was healthy in there, especially after a hard day of work or training. Not that I could fault her. The thing was just so damn comfortable…

I picked up the towel and went over to the bathroom, as silently as possible sliding the door open. Prepared to just simply drop the towel inside so Makoto could reach it, I found myself standing transfixed in the doorframe for a very long time. My brunette roommate and gracious host for pretty much a year now was obviously comfortable, laying there in the small tub, completely submerged and head rested on the rim, eyes closed. The sight was mesmerizing and I couldn't avert my eyes even if I would have tried to, which I didn't.

_She's beautiful._

The thought came with a surprising suddenness but no actual amazement. It was more like a statement, a fact. I had had this thoughts a lot the last few months. Things had changed between us. Subtly at first but ever since this both dreaded and fondly remembered night at Minako's birthday there had been unmistakable _moments_ between us. The kind that are timeless, that need no words or rational explanation. They are just there and both of us were aware of it. The whole thing, despite the fact that none of us had been really embarrassed or appalled by the incident, had left its marks. Minako had been rather "busy" as she often claimed and New Year had been the first time she had really spent longer than a few hours with the rest of us. Makoto and I though were living together, which made it hard to ignore the building… well, I wouldn't call it tension. Whatever it was, it was getting hard to ignore. Neither of us had brought the incident up but we both knew it was on our minds. Especially in those certain moments of mutual empathy.

I believed neither of us was quite ready to deal. Of course I knew about Makoto's own feelings and how complicated all this was. I didn't even feel any jealousy, actually more sympathy than anything else. We were kind of in the same boat as they say. And the brunette had known her fellow teammate longer than me, had spend much more time with her. She wasn't even actively looking into relationships these days and the one she'd be interested in was pretty much impossible, not to mention the other party was pretty unaware of it. That left her lonely. Not in the way that it was really showing or affecting her life. Makoto wasn't the type to easily get dragged down over a hopeless case. Yet, I know what it felt like and I could see that loneliness in her eyes more often than I wished.

The kind of loneliness I often felt since Chibiusa returned to her time, the kind of loneliness that had prompted me to get away from the other Outers to seek my own life. The kind of loneliness that I felt every time I saw Minako, emotions of longing invoked by both myself and Saturn.

Just like now for example. Times like now I felt the most vulnerable and I became more and more tired of the whole ordeal. While it did drag neither of us down visibly, it left me feeling unfulfilled and the same had to be the case for Makoto. I valued the friendship we had built over the year but there was something more now, and as I said, I was beginning to grow tired of dancing around each other. I thought it was time to accept that things had changed and that this change might bring both of us some salvation. Maybe not what any of us looked for but probably better than the lethargy of the common routine, the distant longing and loneliness.

Those who do no accept change, will forever be caught in the monotonous purposelessness of their life.

And so, decision made, I went with the flow of life, the nature that was dictated by chaos, the constant change. Closing the bathroom door I stepped up behind the still unaware Makoto.

******************************

(Makoto)

Body relaxed and mind wandering, it was times like that I was really glad to have that small furo. The original apartment hadn't come with a bath tub, just a shower. That was enough for me in all those years I've spent here but when Hotaru had moved in she had offered… well, pretty much demanded to share the rent – which was already low enough since the realtor and I had been on good terms for years now. With that and the money both Hotaru and I earned on the side the one or other luxury could be afforded. Such as a nice, cozy bath tub…

And a hot bath really did wonders after a good meal, some heavy workout and another good meal to reenergize. Really, it was a wonderful benefit to have a restaurant and a dojo just next to each other and I often found myself taking advantage of the family business my employers ran even outside my regular working schedule. After all I got discounts and next to cooking your own meals, those were the best ways to enjoy good food. And good was a culinary understatement for the incredible Chinese-style feasts my Sensei's wife and employer could create!

I could have gone to work in the first place, I mused. Sure was better than sitting around here all alone, so not my style. Usually I would have gone out to shop or something. However, as per usual at New Year, there had been a lot of leftovers that still needed to be consumed. That was not due to the fact that the group didn't enjoy my cooking but we tended to buy too much altogether for those big parties… often more than even Usagi could eat, as hard as that might be to believe.

Besides, even if I had went out alone, I would have just wound up as lonely as I felt cooped up at home. With Hotaru gone to do something at Neo Infinity I had already anticipated that she'd be there for the rest of the day knowing her persistence in matters of success, something I could very well sympathize with and found to be a rather endearing quality.

Great, now I was back to what I had hoped to escape in the first place. I couldn't help it though, considering that I lived with the little Firefly for almost a year now, makes it hard to ignore her presence or any conflicting thoughts and emotions. Emotions that hadn't really been where since that one night but had grown to something more potent between us. And I doubted somehow I was the only one aware of that. Not that I would be terrible prejudicial about the implications. No, the problem was that the whole thing was much too complicated to benefit from further exploration. I knew where giving in would lead to. A lot of hurt, that's where.

While my thoughts drifted and my eyes were closed, I was rather unaware of my surroundings. Sure, my dangers senses were still active and if there had been anything wrong in the apartment I would have known. But there wasn't anything wrong and I had gotten rather comfortable and relaxed around Hotaru in that one year living together. Therefore it might be forgiven that I did not notice the other presence behind me before I was MADE aware of it in a favorable manner. Despite my earlier thoughts I couldn't help but sigh at the feel of small, delicate and very, very talented hands massaging my shoulders, further aiding to the already greatly relaxed state of my body. I didn't need to turn around in order to know that it was Hotaru and for about a minute – longer than initially planned – I just sat there and enjoyed the slow yet firm kneading motions. However, I tensed slightly when Hotaru's hands began to move around from the shoulders to my back and then advancing to the front of my body. While I really wasn't sure if there was an intention of moving further, I wasn't keen on letting it go there in the first place.

Catching her hands with my own, I turned my head slightly and was startled at just how close the dark-haired girl's own pale face was. "You're back late," I stated matter-of-factly, a slight tingle becoming more and more pronounced in my body.

Hotaru looked apologetic which still somehow managed to appear cute. "I lost track of time. At least I got it right now." She held up something that I didn't see from my angle at first. She moved the object a bit more into my field of vision. "Your towel," she said in the same voice I used before. With a slightly triumphant smirk at my sheepish expression, she added, "Tell me the truth, how long have you been in here?"

I made a face, not daring to let my embarrassment show any further of once again being caught of having stayed longer in the hot bath when was necessary and probably healthy. "I can't help it," I replied with a pout and as way of comeback with a smirk of my own countered, "Besides, I can't count how many times I caught you lounging in here for an hour or so."

Hotaru blushed and there was that fluttery sensation again that I tried hard to ignore… which was becoming more difficult by the minute. That girl had really developed a lot and very fast that was. Not just in age but also in terms of beauty. I knew for certain that she did turn a lot of heads on the streets and probably at Neo Infinity, too. At times I thought it a shame that she limited herself to a crush on someone she sadly enough might never have but lately I had felt rather protective in those situations, not really able to explain at first why some strangers looking at her _that_ way made me feel jealous. By now it had become more and more obvious.

Hotaru tugged at our still joined hands. "Come on, get out there, lazy," she urged gently. "I don't want you to melt." With far less reluctance than I had expected I let myself be pulled up. Stepping out of the tub I went to take the towel from Hotaru but was surprised when she held it just out of reach. Looking at her with an arched eyebrow I was taken off guard by the unreadable expression. It was somewhat somber, maybe serious or calm… While I had begun to read and understand the younger girl much better, it was situations like those that I was reminded how complex she really was. Her relationship with her past life was a far more active one, setting her apart from the rest of us – except Pluto. And Saturn was much harder to understand than Hotaru was. The thing was the young girl had more or less adapted most of her Senshi personality's traits and it was becoming harder to tell the difference.

"Hotaru?" I asked tentatively and almost jumped when the smaller girl stepped closer, all but violating personal space. Wordlessly she began to dry me off with the towel and I was too perplexed to do anything but allow her to continue. I was rather aware of the feel of the material over my naked skin and the lingering touches that were of telltale quality.

Stopping in her motions after a short while, Hotaru looked up at me again and now there was clearly something in her eyes that I felt all too compelled and too accustomed to. There was a certain loneliness lingering that I had seen a lot of times but there was also need. A need that made me catch my breath since I could tell there was a lot of genuine emotions behind it. Feeling myself lean into the touch of Hotaru's fingertips on my cheek, my gaze didn't leave her eyes. "I don't think we…" I started but somehow knew that it was futile.

Hotaru smiled a mixture of reassuring and sad. "We can't ignore this any longer. I thought about a lot of things while meditating today. We are both lonely and there is something between us…" she trailed off and then leaned forward. The kiss was short but hungry, a definite quality that I wasn't sure I felt disturbed or amazed by in someone so young.

"What about…?" I started again, conscious thought becoming a hard thing to maintain, one of Hotaru's hands now tangled in my hair and the other sliding rather close to chest level.

"We both know that waiting for her will only make us more lonely." I was drawn into another kiss and my hands came around on her back as if having a mind on their own, pulling the smaller form closer. "Let's not think about her or anything else tonight. I am sick of waiting," Hotaru whispered and her voice was now almost a purr.

I shuddered visibly but the thing was I could really not find any fault in her words. I didn't have a relationship since my old boyfriend, not even those pseudo one week things She had most of the time. I had given up hope there long ago but that didn't help me to find other options. That HAD left me lonely and right now that loneliness had increased so much I really didn't care very much anymore. And Hotaru's obvious determination made it nearly impossible to not succumb to the temptation.

And so I simply relented. It's not like one night would make much of a difference in the long run, right?

******************************

(Sakura)

A wizard's study was supposed to be dark and gloomy, illuminated by little light, preferably just a few candles to cast just the right light and atmosphere, not to mention helping with incantations. It was supposed to smell in a certain way, too. Things like incense, molten wax, the particular scent of old dusty books that had preserved time.

Nothing of that really held true for the not overly polarizing but instead rather normal decorated room. The curtains were of a light blue, pulled close but semi-transparent and allowing sunlight to pass through. Right now the sun had set already and the room was indeed basked in candlelight. Not so much for tradition's sake or to aid my work. It was more for the atmosphere and maybe just a few nostalgic memories of a life long past leaking through.

Withdrawing the long staff from the piece of paper on the table in front of me, I let it shrunk back to the size of a tiny key before returning it to its pocket. Picking up the card on the table I gave it one last final examination before allowing myself a smile of satisfaction and success. "Finally done." Taking out the glass of partially magical-processed ink I proceeded to write down the card's name on the front.

This one may actually come in handy, figuring some things out. Especially for Tomoyo who still only remembered her past life in flashes and semi-significant to significant scenes. _How long has it been now?_ I mused. Almost seven years now. I would turn eighteen next month and thus come full circle. It had been shortly after my eighteenth birthday that all this had truly begun. Back then, when I made my decision, it had seem so major and I had had no idea what I was getting into. That statement held true but in much bigger proportions than I had ever imagined.

What did one expect of going back in time anyway? But the events had led up to this event where just too traumatizing and I had felt too guilty to allow any other decision. It had worked out in the end but the terror that had befallen my old timeline had followed and all too soon I had once again been confronted with one of the few things that managed to instill abject fear in my heart… only to come out of this test victorious.

It was an easy victory though. No doubt there. Oh, sure, around that time it had probably been the toughest challenge I had ever had, resulting in consequences far beyond my wildest imagination. Yet, I knew that the horror that had graced my life two times already was by far not so easily defeated.

I did not react in any way surprised, instead closed my eyes in contentment when two slender arms encircled me from behind and the familiar feeling of someone resting their head on my shoulder. "You always work too hard. I told you that countless times," Daidouji Tomoyo said with a mixture of endearment and gentle scolding in her voice. Just her presence alone always made me remind myself that for her alone my decision had turned out to be the right one. Even if it meant to relive most of my childhood and working through a lot of guilt from the baggage I had brought with me from my timeline.

"That's why I have you to keep me in line," I smiled with affection. "I am finished anyway." I took one last look at the card, checking it both optical and spiritual. Satisfied with the result of the last crucial examination, I put it into the book with the rest of the cards. A good thing the little pocket they were in was somewhat connected to subspace because by now it would otherwise not have fit anymore.

Turning my head slightly to look at Tomoyo, I saw her with an arched eyebrow, her expression almost as if she were about to giggle. "Memory?"

I blushed faintly but the humor in the sparkling blue eyes was addictive and I soon found myself smiling feeling much more energized as I actually was after working out the last details on the card. "I thought it might come in handy. Maybe this way you'll be able to better focus on your memories…" I trailed off slightly. "That is if you want, of course…"

I was almost expecting the kiss and melted into the contact with years of experience that still had never managed to make me grow tired of it. That was a truly amazing thing. Our relationship had matured, yes, but in the basic, there where it truly mattered, nothing had changed. And that, I decided, was a very good thing. I doubted I would ever have been able to recover from my ordeal if not for that selfless, understanding girl who had accepted me even in my warped form when I had proceeded to carry out my decision in earnest.

Tomoyo pulled back and slightly flushed I realized that my fingers were now tingled in the strange mix of lavender and black hair. "Stop that right now. We decided on accepting where all this would lead us and we promised each other that we would go this path together. You do not need to face this alone again, Sakura-chan. Never again."

See what I meant? Tomoyo was plain out amazing. No one understood me better and she had always accepted AND loved me for what I was, unworried or unconcerned by outward and even inward changes. She had only always seen the girl she loved. I seriously wondered why I had ever been that oblivious during my first time growing up. Quite frankly, Tomoyo was the best thing that ever happened to me.

With a fond smile I released her briefly only to stand up, taking her hand. "You are right, of course." With a smile that was much more seductive than should be expected from a seventeen year old schoolgirl – in appearance only, I continued, "I, for my part, think that actually testing can wait until tomorrow. I'm beat." With a wink, I further added, "But surely I still have some of that excess energy you love so much about me to spare…"

Tomoyo almost – ALMOST – managed to look scandalized but the mischievous smile and the deep penetrating stare that was too subtle for anyone but me to see, shattered that half-hearted attempt right away. "Why, Sakura-chan. I'd almost thought you wanted to seduce poor young me." She made a tsking motion but than batted her eyes at my feigned look of hurt. "Oh, come on. Off to bed with you."

I complied without putting up any reluctance at all.

******************************

(Minako)

The rising sun was bathing the sky and familiar landscape of Tokyo in an ocean of orange-gold. The color reminded me a little bit of that of my mother star, Venus, and my assorted color as a Senshi. Sitting up here on the balcony at mornings had always been one of my favorite things and I just realized how much I missed that in the last months where I had been so busy – or busied myself – that I rarely woke up early enough. I had come to enjoy it during my time with Artemis as Sailor V. He had been rather rigorous the first month, putting me through hard and very early training after I had fully awakened as Venus. I didn't complain back then and it had helped me to overcome most of my oversleeping  problems.

It had been so easy back then, without much worries about life in general. Sometimes I wished I could just go back in time or maybe live on the Moon again, just as Venus, leader of the Royal Guard and the Inner Senshi, protector of the Princess. I had a clear purpose back then, a fate that was easy to understand and easy to submit to. I had been happy and content with life back then.

Now, now everything was so different, so… difficult. There were so many conflicting thoughts, emotions, so many different paths to take, so many conflicting fates to keep track off. It was times like now, after the absolute epitome of a bad day that I got aware of how much easier it had been when I was just a simple schoolgirl or a soldier to protect a prosperous kingdom. Being both was oh so much harder.

I sighed mournfully, resting my head in my hands, continuing to stare out over the city as I let my thoughts travel back to yesterday and the series of events that had stirred my life directly into a never-ending downward spiral. All my life – or lives – I had been a survivor, never giving up on a goal or letting circumstances and temporary misfortune bring me down, yet right now I felt like doing just that. The situation was so surreal and hopeless that I almost felt like laughing. But amusement was the furthest thing on my mind.

I grunted slightly as I felt a soft kick in my stomach area, reminding me once again of the cause of all of my problems right now. It was utterly ridiculous if you really thought about it. I had spend years searching for a suitable partner, the one man who could be the right one for me. Oh, I had had a few sexual encounters when I got older but by far I did not consider myself some kind of slut. Yet, nothing had ever come out of the dozens of relationships – as far as you could use this term for most of them – and now I suddenly woke up pregnant because I spent ONE night, one freaking night, with two of my best friends and fellow Senshi because of loosened inhabitations. How ironic and utterly unbelievable was that, hmm?

Not that I resented same sex couplings. I was the Senshi of Love after all, such prejudices went against my very nature. I had just never seen myself like that… or maybe never wanted to see me like that… With something that one could either determine as determination and other would as stubbornness I forcefully pushed the thought away. All I ever wanted was a normal, nice guy. Something not as crazy and bipolar as my life already was. I was always between extremes. Was it so impossible to long for some sort of normalcy?

Apparently, yes. Or how else do you explain winding up pregnant from sex with two girls? Oh, I was pretty sure I found out the cause for that, however, that didn't help at all to make me feel better about it. Poor Artemis, he probably got one heart attack after another when I finally confided to him yesterday. I felt a little guilty for having kept my pregnancy secret so long, especially from him. But I really had had no idea how to deal with it or how to explain it in the first place. Now that I could, after being kicked out from the career I had so carefully nurtured, I needed to talk to someone. Since Artemis had taken permanent residence in Tsukino-ke with Luna we hadn't spend so much time together and it had been rather easy to hide my physical state.

Which was another thing that was pretty abnormal about this whole situation. I know I should show more signs already being about two months along. Yet, aside from a tiny amount of morning sickness and some outward appearance, the physical pains of a pregnancy were rather absent, still there in some cases but dim and almost not noteworthy. Artemis had looked like he had some idea about why this was but didn't want to say anything until further research.

The same thing went for the compact. When I told him about my theory he had just looked at me very, VERY oddly and stated that it was _possible_. The way he said it though left not much room to argue whether or not he agreed with my sentiment. I knew him too well for that. Personally I had no idea how it could even be done. I had used the thing countless times and therefore was pretty much sure that the change was not fully physical. However, when I drew the compact from subspace I did register something different, something more potent about it. And I had this dark suspicion that something was done to do it that night. I desperately wished now to remember but the memory eluded me, clouded in the fuzzy haze of mystery caused by too much alcohol. That was the last time I touched anything alcoholic again afterwards.

Didn't help at all that we sort of got into each other's hairs after the revelation. Artemis and I, that is. There was a lot of hurt feelings on his part, at least that was my best guess. I hadn't gotten such a lecture from him since my time as the inexperienced Sailor V. I was pretty agitated already anyway and so I didn't really back down either. His chiding hit too close to home, it was simply too much the truth of what I felt myself to not get a rise out of me. That didn't last long, we traded some apologies and Artemis took off, promising to analyze the compact further. I was pretty sure he went to Luna and probably told her. I wasn't too keen on that but there wasn't much I could do about it either.

Left even more irritated and angry at myself, the whole damn situation and the world in general I had taken off against any better judgment, seeking some sort of safe haven. Scott was a nice guy. Originally from America but lived in Japan for nearly a decade already. We had met through work, a performance we had together. That had been about a month ago, I had just learned about my pregnancy and needed some sort of distraction. I really thought he was different from all the rest. After all he was charming and rather understanding about a lot of my quirks. No, I didn't tell him about the child but maybe I would have sooner or later. I didn't do it yesterday evening and quite frankly I believe the result would have not varied, only in intensity. Scott turned out just like the typical rich guy after all. Superficial and only interested in his own personal gains, like more status, money and better appearance. Just like most men in the higher class I had met thanks to my uprising status in the musical world. Turned out he dropped me like a bag of yesterday's trash the moment I told him about being… set on vacation…

The jerk. Not that he was worth the anger.

Still, that had nearly been the stone that spilled over the pot or something like that. I was rather livid when I left his house… and then ran into Hotaru. Of all people, she was the last one I wanted to see right then. Ever since discovering the possible cause of my pregnancy I feared that if anyone could have done the change to the compact that night it probably was her. From the three of us only she had powers beyond that normal for a Senshi and the implications that fear could led to scared me, scared me more than any Youma, Droid, Daimon or other hostile creature that I had ever faced.

I was not silly, despite what she and probably Makoto too, might be thinking. I was more aware of the looks than I wished to admit to myself. I wanted to tell myself that I just wasn't interested, that I didn't want to go explore that direction, that I just wanted to be able to have something normal. But it was much more complicated than that. As hard as I tried I could never manage to properly deal with their subtle, yet obvious affections and pretty much avoided the subject altogether. There was something unexplainable there, an element that I could not describe nor wanted to face.

And so once again, I had brushed off poor Hotaru rather harshly, more so than I had meant to. She was really a sweet girl and I'm pretty sure I had worried her to death by now. I wasn't sure how to face her next time but I doubted she would let it go. The girl could be as stubborn as her surrogate _father_ and new roommate.

I yawned loudly and turned to go inside again even though I really felt like just getting back into bed and sulk about the unfairness of life. Passing by one wall I glanced sideways at the calendar, seeing something circled in red for tomorrow… I didn't make the conclusion right away, my mind too occupied with other things. Only halfway into the kitchen I stopped in my tracks, bringing a hand to my head and deciding that trying to suppress the groan would be a wasted effort.

Tomorrow was Hotaru's birthday.

Not only that, I remembered. Makoto and Hotaru would both celebrate theirs at once. And therefore there was no way I could come up with a reason not to attend.

"Kuso," I cursed and, realizing that there was no way that I could get around telling them about the child. They had a right to know. Letting myself fall heavily into a chair I almost – almost – wailed in utter self-pity. I had no freaking idea how to explain all this to myself. How was I supposed to explain it to them?

******************************

(Hotaru)

The morning wasn't exactly sunny but neither was it pouring down like a cascade from the heavens in either liquid or frozen water. In fact it was more a gray, cloudy sky that could as well clear as it could thicken. _She'd know for sure_, I thought with what surely was a happy, little smile on my lips as I glanced down at the form who was resting comfortably against my own. I didn't really pay attention to the time as my gaze lingered on Makoto's sleeping body, watching the rise and fall of her chest, her peaceful, almost baby-like innocence displayed on her face – a trait I had learned to be a common thing for any human being when around someone deeply trusted. Her hair was for once not in the trademark ponytail but instead spilling out in long disordered waves over her lean and muscular frame. It was amazing that without looking like a bodybuilder the brunette still harbored such inhuman strength. Her physical appearance was not giving away the power sleeping inside if someone did not know that there was more to skill and physical strength than just muscles.

And she surely knew how to put all that strength to some fantastic use!

While this had not been our first time, the night about two months ago did not quite count. Neither of us really remembered anything in detail other than that it was intense and wild. This time I did remember and I would treasure that memory whether or not anything greater would result from this.

Maybe that had been one reason why I had decided upon this gamble without much thought – regardless of what I told Makoto – but where had been a lot of other factors that had also somewhat come together yesterday. For once where was the loneliness both of us felt because our mutual interest was rather unavailable. Also it was true that I had meditated a lot about some aspects concerning love. I had come to realize long ago that while the soul might make bindings in the emotional sense that were very much eternal, they did not have to reflect upon or be binding for every incarnation. Most people who are favored with reincarnation do not even know that or why in the first place they are feeling attracted to a certain individual. I was quite aware of the fact and the why. Yet, the spirit that was individually created with each new life might make new bindings that contradict the one of the soul. Often that could lead to a very complex web of possibilities in some far away incarnation… but that was beside the point.

The point was that I was beginning to finally allow myself to accept that Minako was not Venus. Not THE Venus I knew and loved so dearly. I never held her to that but basically there had always been a tiny ray of hope that someday she might remember. Minako was A LOT like MY Venus, more so than her prior incarnation. But all she seemed to remember was her life on the Moon. Not that that was surprising for the normal way of a Senshi's rebirth but the contradiction was nonetheless infuriating.

I was tired of waiting, I was tired of being lonely. Both from my life as Tomoe Hotaru and from the eons spend as Sailorsaturn after the great war had confined me to my lonely existence, only always watching from afar. I had spotted glimpses of my prior mate's reincarnations but had been too scared to pry deeper in fear to lose myself in the agony. Makoto was offering something new, something to fill that void and it was offered with the same, even if not through various millennia intensified quality. A similar kind of loneliness that let me feel a form of kinship to the taller girl.

That didn't change my feelings about Minako. Neither did it change her own. However, that was alright. We were in complete agreement there without it having been spoken. This situation was far from resolved but now, even if that avenue remained closed for us, maybe there was hope to find happiness in a completely different direction.

Feeling Makoto shift slightly, my mental musing came to a stop and I favored the drowsy, somewhat stupefied expression with a warm grin. "Morning there. I hope I didn't wear you out too much, ne?"

Apparently enough Makoto's sleep-induced mind was still working out the details of her immanent surroundings and peculiar position. I had been in a similar state upon waking and could very well sympathize. The confusion cleared quickly though, replaced by a wave of powerful emotions but eventually ceasing in a truly adorable frown. "Can't believe you are just turning eighteen tomorrow," Makoto mumbled at last. "I think my mind is still circling around Jupiter right now…"

I allowed myself a triumphant smirk that the brunette answered with a slight shake of her head. Her emerald eyes though never left mine and the twinkle of amusement and the joy I saw there reflected my own feelings. Last night had filled a void inside of me that I had not hoped of ever being able to at least begin to fill again by anyone. Right now, for a few special moments just belonging to the two of us, I felt at ease, partially completed once again. And Makoto was feeling the same thing. It was an assumption… no, a knowledge based upon the kinship developed between us.

"What can I say? Just because I have spent Millennia caged on my own planet that I forgot how to please a woman?" The statement was only half-serious, meant to lighten the mood. Indeed at times, I had wondered if I'd ever experience physical pleasure again. That and a lot of more issues the part of me that was Saturn had always been reluctant to share with Hotaru, shielding the innocence of the child I had long ceased to be, even without those memories. Being reduced to my star seed had been as much a trauma as it had been an enlightening to me. Having never went through reincarnation the same way the other Senshi did, I had learned the hard way that to achieve total harmony of soul and spirit would mean to accept each other albeit all conflicts that might arise. And in a way the Princess had been right as well. A Senshi was not just the Sailor Crystal. The star seed alone made just the soul, the general makeup. What made us living beings was the individual spirit, the heart that made us feel, that made us aware that we were alive. Even when my body was disrupted, I could still feel the part that was Hotaru, not only the part that was the Senshi Saturn.

Makoto stifled a yawn and pushed her self upwards to match my half-sitting position. "Well, I definitely can't say I am complaining," she stated with a chuckle, then, without warning, pulled me forward in a deep kiss that was not nearly as passionate as some shared a few hours ago. This one was more sensual and maybe just a little bit needy – more like a linger of desperation, expressing the hope that the loneliness was banned for now. "Arigato." At my puzzled look, Makoto elaborated, "I doubt I could have brought up the courage to make the first step. I know you've come to terms with Saturn and that logically seen you are far more experienced when all of us put together but it's still…"

I put a finger over her lips, shushing her. Indulging in the pleasure of another, chaste and only slight lingering kiss, I fixed my new lover with a soft, somewhat humorous gaze. "Don't thank me for that. By now I know you are a softie at heart."

As expected I did not have to wait long for the indignant exclamation. "Hey!" I chuckled at Makoto's mock-infuriation. "I am serious, I am not that bad… Mmphmmhh…"

Hmm, such a better way of putting that mouth to some use, I thought with a mental chuckle, hands tangled in messy brown hair while pressing our faces together. I let go after a few moments but it was enough to leave the other girl slightly breathless. So adorable… I started slightly at my own thoughts but became aware they were simply a potent result of recent events. "I think I'm falling in love with you," I whispered, effectively destroying any sort of reply Makoto might have come up with. In fact she looked the epitome of perplexed and taken by surprise. I had to admit I wasn't quite sure why I had felt the need to express the realization of my feelings out loud so soon but never less it had been the truth.

"I…" Makoto started, but I stopped her again with a shake of my head.

"Don't, it's okay. I understand and it doesn't change anything how I feel myself. We both knew this when we started this and we still know it. Let's just take that slowly and see where it leads. I don't need a reply to what I said right now, it wouldn't be truthful anyway."

For a moment Makoto just stared disbelief and amazement warring against each other. At last I noted with relief and a little bit of pride that the latter clearly won out. "You are a very special girl, you know that? Minako is a true idiot not to acknowledge that." I blushed faintly at the sincere compliment and was rewarded with a chuckle. "It's true. Never doubt yourself about it." She looked out of the window and then at the clock next to the bed. "Ugh, I better get up and start breakfast. You didn't have dinner and are probably starving by now."

It wasn't haste caused by uncomfortable feelings I noted at once. That would have surprised me anyway after last night. Makoto was actually concerned and at the same time didn't want to turn the morning after into some heavy soul-searching experience. And that was alright with me. There was an understanding between us and I was infinitely glad that I wasn't the only one aware of it.

However, I wasn't quite ready to leave that bubble of happiness right now. I believed… no, I knew that we could return here, but it had simply been too long that I was able to feel so relaxed. My hands fell from their place in Makoto's hair and settled around her waist, eventually managing to pull her down onto the bed and in my arms. The taller girl was a little surprised but didn't resist at all. "Stay a little longer."

Feeling the other girl's arms slip around me was answer enough.

******************************

(Minako)

My sour mood definitely hadn't decreased about an hour or so later. At the discovery of the closeness of a possible confrontation about the issue that had turned my very life upside down in the space of roughly one day, I felt more like running somewhere far away. Only problem was that despite some of my troubles dealing with a couple of emotional issues I was never one to run away. I suppose it was the mentality of a leader that absolutely refused the run and hide instinct every _normal_ person in my position would have surely found understanding.

And so it came that instead of lessening my bad mood had rather doubled. I felt totally purposeless, knowing that I was quite effectively without a place of work now. I had always been an active person. I needed to get out and face the world, not sit around at home, scooped up and nestled like a pregnant woman.

I winced at that comparison and almost jumped to the ceiling at the sound of the doorbell ringing. Getting up against my own will it was times like that I had steadfastly refused to get any kind of servants for the quite spacious… house… Well, more like a mansion. It had been a gift from my – former – employer after the first year of success had practically given the company such a jump start that we had almost reached a level of international recognition. Not that I really NEEDED that much space but Yakamuri-san had been very persistent in accepting the offer AND he had not made any comment about giving it back now that… Well, technically all he had put me on was motherhood vacation. The term ignited another wince but also a half-smirk at realizing that he did not know I probably wouldn't come back anyway. I resolved to consider the matter as a small, personal victory.

I really wondered who it could be at such an early hour. If yesterday hadn't happened, I probably would have slept in as well against all routine. That pregnancy thing while not affecting me in ways to be expected, did upset my inner instincts a little and I HAD found myself oversleeping slightly in the last month or so. The side effects were rather weird, a mix of what I know was natural and what definitely wasn't. To say that this worried me slightly would be an understatement.

With a frown and an unpleasant comment for whoever dared intrude on me at such an ungodly, early hour, I almost yanked open the door only to come face to face with a cheerfully smiling, enthusiastic face, sparkling blue eyes and a familiar odango style which made me swallow my angry words right at once, exchanging them for confusion, not to mention a little apprehension. "U-Usagi-chan…?" There was a small knot of fear tightening around my heart. As I had already assumed, Artemis probably talked with Luna about my revelations from yesterday. However, I had thought them discrete enough to handle the matter as the delicate topic it was. Could there be a chance that Usagi knew? There was no way I could face her right now. I couldn't even face it myself and I was still wondering how to approach the necessity about telling the other two parties involved in this mess.

That fear was thankfully dissolved quickly but the true reason for Usagi's appearance on my doorstep was not actually quite pleasant at the moment either. Looking somewhat apologetic, Usagi explained rather hastily, "I know, I know, we are a little early but I thought since we are preparing for two this time, we have more work, ne?"

At this point I wondered if my mind was still asleep, refusing to get out of bed and face the world after yesterday because I really had no idea about what Usagi was talking about. "Ano… Preparing for what?"

Usagi looked at me funny, as if sensing some hidden joke. I figured she thought that I probably was joking and right now I wished that it was that simple. I really didn't recall any… My thoughts were interrupted as I glanced past Usagi for the first time, seeing Mamoru coming up to the front gate with some boxes in hand, followed by two others I couldn't make out right away. And suddenly I didn't need Usagi's humorous reply to make the connection.

"For Mako-chan's and Hotaru-chan's birthday party of course, silly…" Usagi trailed off at my immediate response which involved the doorframe and a lot of unnecessary, unpleasant contact for my head. "Ano, Mina-chan? Why are you banging your head against the doorframe?"

Maybe a minute later I was actually able to cease that surely perplexing action. I felt like doing more than smashing my head senseless right now but could tell that I was becoming the focus of extremely anxious and worried looks. How could I have overlooked that little detail? Okay, how wasn't really the question. With the way my day had been going, I believe it was excusable that I failed to take into account when becoming aware of the impending birthday party that I had promised at the New Year festivals that I would host the party myself since it was hardly fair to treat Makoto's small apartment to such an event. We'd probably have a hard time finding a place to sit for everyone. If it was just us Inners that was alright but with Haruka and Michiru back and attending their adoptive daughter's birthday it seemed more logical to do it here.

The problem was that when I had made the suggestion I did feel a little guilty for avoiding Makoto and Hotaru after our nightly encounter and had hoped to make it up to them this way. Now that I almost knew for sure though that they were heavily connected to the pregnancy thing, one could easily imagine how that affected me. How was I supposed to play the part of host for them without giving away to everyone present that without intending actually malice they were the last people I wanted to see right now?

The task of getting the assembled group consisting of Usagi, her husband, Rei and her… apprentice into the house and myself to another cup of much needed coffee required all my years spend acting. And even that was not nearly enough. Usagi's caring nature and her special status in my heart made it almost impossible to lie to her and Rei was simply to observant to be fooled easily. Also, I didn't think my puzzling performance at the door had helped matters any.

And so it was several minutes later that I had my four friends seated in the living area and myself remotely composed… which was nervous enough to make an animal running from a predator rethink what it really was that it feared. I studied the four worried faces warily, having stuck to standard phrases none of them bought in the slightest. Not even young Sasami, Rei's apprentice, sometimes partner and – or so my empathic senses told me – recent girlfriend. The younger girl had become a good friend since taking permanent residence at Hikawa and while she often displayed a carefree, cheerful façade to the outside world, years of acting made me a good expert on reading people and my instincts told me that there was something much sharper, more intelligent underneath what the public eye was privy to.

While the blue-haired girl kept to herself, obviously feeling uncomfortable with prying into someone's else's business, Usagi and Rei made no secret of their confusion and quite evident worry. Even Mamoru looked concerned, was too modest to be the first one to speak up though.

"Mina-chan…" Usagi finally started but I held up a hand, stalling her for the moment. I really, really felt way out of my league here. That was more than the human mind could deal with in such a short amount of time.

"I apologize for that scene. That must have scared you pretty badly." Rei snorted but didn't respond which was rather unnecessary. I tried to prevent the uneasy silence by laughing, intending to downplay it but knew even while the words were formed that I wasn't very successful. "I'm okay really, just a little stressed. I, um… sort of forgot about the party."

The four just stared at me and I smiled awkwardly for a moment. Then, realizing that I wouldn't get away with at least a partial explanation, I let out a deep sigh. "Look, I had a REALLY bad day yesterday and it is not anything that I would like to discuss right away. It's personal and I'm still trying to come to terms with it. I can hardly explain it to myself or am still wondering how I should explain it to anyone else, especially those who really need to know." With a look that I was sure was bordering on pleading, I concluded, "I don't want to keep any secrets, but can you give me some time to work that out before I tell you guys?"

Usagi was about to say something but then closed her mouth and looked over at Rei who wore a neutral expression, her eyes fixed on me as if trying to actually pull the truth right out of me… which I know she would be capable of if she really would have wanted to try. It was to everyone's surprise Sasami who spoke up in a calm, yet compassionate manner, "That is alright, Minako-san. We all have some moments in our life that throw us out of the path we had chosen and thought to follow for a long time." The way she worded it elected a barely visible wince. There was something about the younger miko that was very hard to grasp. She had a little of Hotaru in the sense of mystery but essentially was a very well-mannered, good-natured young girl. Like Usagi she had a quality to always see the good in a person or situation but behind the red eyes of an often seemingly innocent child was a maturity that was as much disturbing as it was familiar, reminding me of myself sometimes when I just came into my destiny.

Rei spared a side glance at her companion, then looked back at Usagi who nodded slowly. "Fine with me. I think it's too early in the new year for bad news anyway. But if you want to talk…" she trailed off but the offer didn't need to be made  with words to understand it. I gave a tiny, grateful smile, knowing that despite my inner turmoil my friends would always be there. Now, if I could just figure out how to preserve my friendship with Makoto and Hotaru when they found out…

"Should we relocate then?" a new voice interrupted the still slightly uncomfortable silence that followed. Everyone turned around to see Haruka and Michiru coming into the room side by side. Haruka smiled lopsidedly. "We let ourselves in. You really should close the door behind you, you know?"

Rei glared at Usagi who was the last to come in but obviously decided to not say anything since I suspected she was as freaked out as our Princess had been at my behavior.

"It wouldn't be that much of an inconvenience," Michiru stated softly, with a compassionate look in my direction. "We still have most of the decorations up from New Year and its our daughter's birthday after all."

For a moment I was tempted to accept the offer but despite the haze in my head caused by too many shocking events in a row, some common sense fueled by years as the mutual leader of the Sailorsenshi managed to penetrate the fog. I had already figured out that I probably wouldn't be able to stall the issue of talking to Makoto and Hotaru for long. They had a right to know. And therefore I was much more comfortable with doing that here in my own house than somewhere else. Besides… "Ah," I replied at last. "Thank you for the offer but maybe this is just what I need to get my mind focused on something else. And since you are all up so early, we should have sufficient time to decorate, right?"

Haruka looked at me as if daring me to take my words back and for a moment I squirmed under a gaze that wasn't as subtly penetrating as Rei's but much more direct, telling without concealment that the sandy-haired woman didn't believe a single word. She dropped the gaze though at a gentle touch from her companion and amended somewhat sarcastically, "If you say so."

Truth be told, I really wasn't looking forward to doing anything except sitting in a corner and brood over the unfairness of life. Yet what I said was at least partially honest. The activity would provide some manner of distraction… hopefully.

******************************

(Makoto)

A true Martial Artist was always compelled to mold all that he or she did into some form of training. Or so Sensei had taught me while on the other hand reacting to my inquiry about that particular wisdom in a curious sort of guiltiness, responding that it was actually a line from his father who I know for a fact that besides the Art Sensei had not much of respect for. Yet, there was some merit to the principle that he accepted long ago and I found myself agreeing with. While I would surely not succumb to some of the wild stories my Sensei sometimes told me about his youth, I tried to treat as much of everyday life as some form of training, be it for speed, strength or tactical experience. Of course, it helped that next to normal training the group hadn't let up on Senshi practice and I had a constant supply of challenges.

So, yes, usually I did respect the principle… which didn't mean though that I had to constantly go roof-hopping to get from point A to B. While that method had drastically increased my overall condition and manipulation of my inner chi, I had lately found another, much appreciated method of transport. And it was quite evident that Hotaru enjoyed it just as much… if not even more.

Maybe a little too much right now, I couldn't help but smirking in genuine affection at the body pressed tightly against me. I was certainly aware of the younger girl's chest pressed into my back as the wind rushed by as if we were on an open plane. I was pretty positive that Hotaru didn't really need to cling so tightly. As Senshi we could resist the conditions of outer space, therefore a little harsh wind should hardly make her cling so ferociously.

Not that I would voice a complaint. I had had a lot of time to think, both of us falling into a rhythm probably not really expected from two girls who had just taken a major step forward in their personal relationship. Not for us though. For us the matter had been a conscious thing on a level of unspoken agreement. Hotaru might have been the aggressor but she didn't need to be told of my own thoughts and feelings on the matter. The growing tension between us didn't need to be actually named to understand it for what it was.

I was actually thankful for the younger girl having taken the actual step. I wasn't sure how long I could have staid sane in face of this situation and I really didn't trust myself enough to have done the first step as much as I recognized the signals Hotaru had been giving off as reflections of my own. I probably would have just messed everything up had I tried. And so in a way, Hotaru's offer had been gratefully accepted when given.

Had I had more time to contemplate, maybe I would have put up more of a struggle but at this moment, in an already relaxed state, all I had seen was the loneliness that I knew well enough and that I often longed to fill in myself. I never had had much of a relationship. Interests, infatuations, some minor, some more serious. But that wasn't about relationships, at least not totally. Not even my old boyfriend was anything more than mostly an infatuation, so I was by now ready to acknowledge.

I had grown up without much love. My parents had died early and that had left me to fend for myself for most of my life. I didn't have much experience in how to deal with emotions or interact with others in what commonly was termed normal. Then I had become a Senshi and my life had found a purpose. I had found comrades that I could in many aspects relate to, friends that filled the gaps left by my parents' death. But the loneliness had never fully left me. I think we all suffered from that in some degree which made us even tighter in our friendship.

However, regarding Hotaru my troubles felt somewhat insignificant. Unbelievable tiny. She had the sort of life and childhood – or proper lack thereof – that left you wondering if all things considered life hadn't been gentle and actually favorable towards yourself. That didn't just refer to the aspect of her current life, there was something far deeper about the aspect that was her past life – or lives – that made the loneliness in the way I had known it a horribly inaccurate term.

This might sound selfless and maybe it was but… I had resolved to help Hotaru fill that void and maybe help myself in the process. The gentle girl deserved a lot more than life – or lives – had treated her to. That is why I had tried to actually help her out with Minako without her knowledge. Of course that turned out to be a rather unexpected result as we both knew and had not achieved anything lasting at all. If now Hotaru was willing to let me help this way, Kami help me, I was the last one to resist. By now both of us were too desperate for this kind of fulfillment to reject when it was genuinely offered.

I brought the – to the normal eye – surely rather odd vehicle to a stop in front of the larger… mansion. As far as I know it had once been some sort of small castle that had belonged to a rich foreigner. About a century or so ago it had suffered fatal damage from a fire and had undergone a complete restoration, leaving it much smaller yet still rather impressive. Especially in the possession of a young, barely adult musical performer who was just beginning to achieve star status.

Of course, the method of our transport was just as fascinating a topic. I helped Hotaru off in a partly mocking, partly honest display of chivalry. The bike in question could for the most part be termed a motorcycle if not for the futuristic looks the wing-like stabilizers at each side gave it. The attached engines were not quite ordinary either, able to achieve two hundred kilometers per hour without even coming in reach of their limits. The design was rather lean despite the construction and could fit in easily with the normal traffic. Not that it needed this since what had been termed a Sylphicle as a sort of prototype name was capable enough of actual flight.

"I still don't think I could ever find any way to make an equal gift to that," I said with a humorous smile. The Sylphcycle was the first result of high modern technology combining science and magic that was practiced by one of the Neo Infinity branches and further researched in the adjourning Neo Tomoe Labs. Both Mamoru and Ami had helped construct this prototype and Hotaru had surprised me in making it a sort of gift for my own birthday, despite the lack of a proper party until now. She had said it needed a field test and there was no way she would let Haruka do that… which, believe me, I could very well understand. A curious thing that I had just made my own license and was in the process of looking for a motorcycle myself. Yes, curious indeed…

Hotaru smiled and favored me with a look that made me blush slightly and grasp for a proper way to deal with. "No need to worry about that." For a second she glanced towards the entrance to Minako's premise and then quickly stood on her tiptoes to press a feather-light kiss against my lips. "You already gave me a wonderful gift last night. One that I cherish much more than any material thing." She slipped her hand into mine, pulling me along while I reached out to touch a button that reverted the Sylphcycle to not more than a tiny key that I slipped into my pocket.

I fell into step next to her while we made our way past the entrance gate that wasn't locked as per principle. Minako didn't really liked it when we went and used the intercom system like some kind of strangers that had to be permitted entrance. We were expected anyway as the honor guests.

I glanced sideways at my companion, still not quite sure what to make of her admission that had been as much honest as I had ever encountered with the dark-haired girl. A part of me wanted to relish in the feeling that maybe there really could be more than mutual compassion. Oh, sure there was enough affection to not have let the act become hollow. I wouldn't sleep with anyone just because we were both lonely. That would hardly be fair to Hotaru and it would have been a lie to myself, something that I really could not live with. Still, in the end I had the feeling that I would wind up just being in the way, a replacement. Hotaru never spoke very much about Saturn's relationship with some prior incarnation of Venus but what she did actually revealed to me in a considerable display of trust was enough to let me know that there bonds had been very strong, deeper than I could ever hope to achieve. And if given the chance…

"You think I'll leave you again should she give me the chance, don't you?" Hotaru said softly, causing me to wince with the realization that I was that obvious. My lack of emotional attachments in my youth had lead to the negligence of subtlety in such matters and Hotaru I think had enough personal experience on that subject that I had to seem like an open book to her.

I felt her squeeze my hand and her tone became more solemn. "I don't make my decisions lightly, Mako-chan. No, you will never take her place in my heart, I cannot assure you of that. But the human spirit can attach itself to more than one person. Soul mate or not. I would not have done what I did last night if I did not believe I could fall in love with you this way. And whatever happens, I will not just discard you when a better opportunity arises. For that I have grown too close to you over the last year."

It was the first direct word either of us had spoken about last night in terms of fears, concerns and ultimately consequences. The seriousness with which Hotaru said this took me slightly off guard though. It invoked a sense in me that I had given my new lover a bit of a wrong impression. "I never meant…"

Hotaru smiled up at me and that smile alone was enough to temporally silence me and make any concerns I might have insignificant. "I know you don't. But it still troubles me. Onegai, trust me when I say that I genuinely want to try this out. I can't say I'll stop to love her. As much as I'm sure you could give such a promise. But right now you are my primary concern albeit what may or may not be in the future."

A moment of silence passed between us as we stood in front of the quite gigantic double doors that marked the entrance of the villa. A smile was shared in mutual acknowledgement and then we let go of each other's hand. As much as we both knew on a basic level what was happening between us and that we had still to actually come to put real love in the picture, we were not yet ready to come out with this new aspect of our relationship to our friends. We had to come to terms with it ourselves first.

******************************

(Haruka)

With a fond smile on my face I watched our endearing Princess dig into her… um, fourth portion, I think, with as much vigor as when dinner had started. She had grown up a lot, both physical and in levels of maturity, but food still managed to make her revert to the equivalent of a small child. Not that any of us minded. I certainly didn't. Usagi had become really beautiful and I was VERY jealous of Mamoru at times, believe me. Of course, if Michiru knew what I was thinking right now… I glanced to the side and hastily turned back again to concentrate on my food at the knowing gleam in my partner's eyes…

"I think we are all going to be fat at this rate when we reach Crystal Tokyo," Rei commented dryly but helped herself to another portion almost as big as Usagi's. She turned a look towards her companion that spoke of deep affection. "Not that I could ever get tired of your cooking, Miko-chan." The blue-haired girl blushed and I smirked with the secure knowledge that a lot more was implied into the compliment. Pretty much anyone here was aware of it regardless that they had never openly declared anything as of yet.

"I have to agree. Between Makoto and you, Sasami-chan, as well as New Year and now, it is a wonder we are still able to walk," Mamoru remarked casually with a side glance at his wife who was too oblivious to anything but the delicious food to really listen. But everyone here was pretty sure she'd agree right away. I did certainly.

The evening since our guests of honor had arrived had progressed nicely so far, with a carefree atmosphere and a lot of fun. Most of us were still pretty hyper from the New Year festivals and thus the mood was pretty much appropriate for a birthday party. Of course, gifts hadn't been opened or congratulations made yet. We were going to party in after all and even Makoto had refused to take anything out of courtesy for the real birthday child, or so she claimed with a smile and a rather concealed glance of deep affection at my foster daughter that had sent off alarm bells right away. Strangely enough I didn't feel like commenting right now. There was definitely something going on between them but truth be told that would relieve me far more than have my little Hime-chan someday show up on our doorstep with a total stranger. Sure, I still wasn't glad about her moving out but Makoto I at least knew and could deal with. Besides, if I said anything that sounded too overprotective I was sure to get one hell of tongue-lashing by Michiru. And she could be real mean if she wanted to be. Believe me, I'm speaking from experience.

Therefore I accepted in silent reluctance that my daughter had obviously grown up faster than expected – the phrase held a much more twisted quality to it in Hotaru's case – and had forced to direct my attention elsewhere. While she did try to conceal it, Minako did not fool me one minute. She was clearly uncomfortable and nervous about something, something rather important. Important on a personal level maybe, but obviously complicated enough that it could affect all of us. I was somewhat amazed at her level of self-restraint though. Sure, the performance lacked the usual professional quality of someone in the acting business and I'm pretty sure I wasn't the only one who had picked up on it by now. After all it was rather rare for Minako to be so quiet all evening, especially at a party. She had also steadfastly refused any kind of alcohol and had regulated her food to a selection worthy of a pregnant mother. I had remarked on that and the flinch that I wasn't sure anyone but me had caught was more alarming than anything else. Of course, I could be seeing things but…

I was also aware that both Makoto but especially Hotaru were giving her looks as if they had been privy to the incident from this morning. That left me wondering just how much they knew, how much whatever troubled Minako had something to do with them. The other blonde had spoken of "those who really need to know". Both Michiru and I were aware of the… tension – if that could be the proper term – between the three of them. I had no idea how long that had gone on since we had only recently returned to Tokyo and the spare occasions before that were not enough to form a lasting impression. Still as a _father_ I believe I had the right to be worried about my daughter and whatever was going on between her and the other two girls.

Then again, all that could have happened was for one of them to have run into Minako yesterday as she had her "really bad day" and probably got worried from whatever reaction given. Nonetheless, Minako, despite her distracted behavior, was obviously aware of the looks and I couldn't help but notice her squirm now and then, only further confirming my suspicion.

I was almost glad when at one point Makoto leaned over and asked if she could speak to us in private. I glanced at Michiru, noticing that everyone was involved in some sort of discussion, even Hotaru was conferring with Ami and Mamoru over something involved with her studies and projects at Neo Infinity that was entirely too high for me to understand. Judged by Makoto's serious tone I doubted this was about anything concerning her, Hotaru and Minako though. Shrugging I traded a nod with Michiru and we silently slipped away more or less unnoticed except Setsuna who made no move to follow regardless of that.

No word was exchanged until we had made our way down the corridor into what was a very spacious kitchen that still showed the signs – and smells – of a well-prepared feast. Makoto looked around for a moment, allowing herself a smile. "One day I really like to know where she picked some of these recipes up. Xian Pu-san would be impressed, I certainly am."

The way she said this was giving the statement a deeper meaning than the off-hand comment probably was meant to imply. She had a great deal of respect for Rei's friend concerning the culinary arts, something that should be rather expected given her current profession. On some level it was amazing but everyone had accepted the gentle blue-haired girl with an almost nonchalant ease. Even I found it utterly impossible to form any form of suspicion beyond natural curiosity. I had come to love this girls and was very protective of the extended family unit we were forming and there was no doubt about that Masaki Sasami – or so she claimed her name was – had many secrets, many of them maybe even Rei wasn't privy to. Although the older miko definitely did know some things at least.

However, Sasami did not only resemble our Princess in hairstyle but she was virtually emitting the same aura of life and vibrancy, with a gift to see the light in every person. I had never seen the girl get angry about something or offended by some remark. If I didn't know it any better I would claim she and Usagi were related. And since I didn't know any better, I had not entirely discarded the possibility.

Sasami wasn't the true matter of discussion here though. Makoto turned around with a more serious look and I at once shifted my own face into a mask obtained through years of being a Senshi, always on edge and wary of some form of opposition. There was no mistaking her demeanor that this was Senshi business and I had a vague suspicion about its exact nature.

"I wanted to talk to you at New Year's but the atmosphere just didn't seem right," the tall brunette began without much preamble, then smirked guiltily, "Nor is now, I suppose. But this has been bothering me lately."

"I take it, you have sensed the drastic shifts in the wind as well," I said, deciding to make it a little easier for her.

Makoto nodded. "I'm not as good as either of you and I wasn't sure if this was of much importance."

"But you suspected," Michiru intervened, sharing a concerned look with me. "Which is quite alright. I have the feeling if you asked any of the others they probably have picked up signs of their own by now. I wish I could tell you anything detailed but even Setsuna doesn't seem to know anything about this."

That managed to startle the other girl. "She doesn't?"

"Or she is outright lying to us which would be a first," I snorted dryly. "Setsuna can be mysterious at times but if she doesn't want someone to know something, she wouldn't outright tell you. She claims she can't and never could see the events leading to the rise of Crystal Tokyo for some reason and I am inclined to believe her."

Michiru at this point glanced out of the window where dark had already settled. Her expression was impassive to anyone who didn't know her as well as I did. I knew the emotionless mask very well and could tell that in earnest her worry was as great as what was shown on Makoto's face and probably reflected on my own. "All we know is that something ancient is coming. Nothing in life can be achieved without a price. I would hope that neither of us is really believing that we are going to get our own kingdom handed on a silver tablet. Whatever is in store for us… It is my belief that it will ultimately be a test whether or not we are worthy to rule the whole planet."

I looked over at Makoto, almost expected the shocked and stricken look at the way that was phrased. Michiru rarely got that fatalistic but she had her moments. Not that I disagreed with her logic. And neither did Makoto as it seemed from the thoughtful expression replacing the shock. "I've never thought about it this way. But that would make sense. What I am worried about is what would be the worthy equivalent of raising a world kingdom in form of a test?"

Neither of us answered that one and silence reigned for almost half a minute leaving everyone to their own thoughts on the matter. At last a silent resolution passed between us that Makoto voiced. "We'll have to bring that up… later."

"Yes, not today," I agreed with a nod.

******************************

(Makoto)

The party had drawn to a close well around one in the morning. Ami had left first, claiming to be tired which was not surprising the way she was working herself so hard. Something in her eyes when she briefly looked at me unsettled me a little but I didn't pay it much more mind. Hotaru and I were the last to remain. Not just because we were the guests of honor but also because there was something left unresolved between us and the party host. Hotaru had expressed her concerns over her run-in with Minako which got her pretty worked up. That might have been one of the reasons for moving our relationship up a notch so suddenly and it still seemed to bother her. I couldn't help but notice Minako's nervousness, I doubt anyone could, and from the way Usagi and Rei were exchanging puzzled and worried glances I wondered what exactly had happened while they had prepared the house.

"Well," I said in an attempt to break the silence and shorten the wait for our host to return from seeing the last of our friends off, "that was a nice party. How does it feel being eighteen now? I mean, in most of other countries you'd be an adult already."

Hotaru snorted. "I feel much too old sometimes already as if needed to be reminded of my age, thank you." There wasn't really bitterness in the statement which is why the choice of words only managed to make me raise an eyebrow. With a softer voice Hotaru added, "It's still nice to have a family that cares…"

I reached out and slipped my hand into hers, fingers intervening, which was the closest either of us had come to displays of affection while in the company of our friends. At my gentle squeeze, my dark-haired companion rewarded me with a smile of appreciation.

"It is, isn't it? We are all probably the closest family anyone could hope for outside of blood relation," I said with a wistful tone of my own. I could very well understand where the other girl's statement came from. All the Senshi had something akin to a disharmonic family – except Usagi that is – but both of us shared a similar experience of being cut off from our blood relatives by the harshness of life. While I was but a small child when the accident happened, for Hotaru it was not much better. Her father had not been one at all after giving up his body to the Death Buster. He had pretty much ceased to be the loving man Hotaru knew then and that counted as a rather similar experience. I suppose that was another thing we had in common, another thing that made us kindred spirits and another reason why I had promised to myself to see it through that the other girl would be happy no matter what.

I was surprised that I didn't jump when the soft clearing of someone's throat snapped us out of the moment. I hadn't even realized that we had just been sitting there, staring at each other. I averted my eyes and instead focused on Minako who strode into the room in a calm and confident manner. Being taught in my training to read body language to an extent that exceeded normal necessities but was central for a Martial Artist I at once picked up all the small signs. Compared to her behavior during the party our friend and leader was holding herself up much better. A front no doubt to mentally prepare her for a dreaded conversation.

That alarmed me slightly and I exchanged a look with Hotaru. Until now I had thought my recent lover had exaggerated slightly about the distraught shape she had encountered Minako in. But seeing the blonde sit down with a forced calm that allowed me to pretty much feel the electricity around her, I had to wonder if all that was going on here was for Minako to suspect some questions about her behavior. If it was just something minor she'd probably brush it aside. Come to think of it, this was probably the first time since That Night that we were alone together in one room and Minako wasn't trying to avoid us.

This definitely wasn't like her suspecting us to be worried and ask some questions. It was more like she was about to reveal something of her own that had her so nervous… no, pretty much scared in a way that the anxiety could explode outward at any given moment. And that definitely had me worried now while Hotaru was shifting uncomfortably in the thick silence that lasted for several seconds stretching out into a small eternity.

"Gah!" Minako suddenly exclaimed more in a manner of surprise than actual pain and rubbed her stomach. The reaction caused us both to flinch, startled half to death. Minako laughed embarrassed, some of the tension melting away. That lasted only for a couple of moments but seemed oddly enough genuine, before giving way to a more bitter expression. "Now that was a fine way of illustrating the problem at hand…" Again both Hotaru and I shared a look of mutual confusion. Sure, both of us knew how moody the blonde could be sometimes but it was so rare for her to succumb to such extreme mood swings.

"Ah, I take it this is about yesterday…" Hotaru began and trailed off, clearly unsure of how to approach the subject that we were dancing around as if it was the scythe of the grim reaper.

"You could say that," Minako stated dryly, calmer than before, to a degree where it was almost unnatural. I decided at that point that I really didn't feel well under my skin in this situation. This had all the signs of potential trouble, harboring the possibility of turning our lives upside down. So I mentally prepared myself for the worst. "I guess you remember my birthday party, huh?" Minako continued, electing a couple of mixed emotions that surely were not privy to myself alone since we were all very much involved. The fact that Minako brought that up now – after two months of an unspoken agreement of silence – was only fueling the fire. Minako laughed with not much amusement, her voice a mixture of bitterness and sarcasm. "Of course, that is a silly question. How could you not even if I've been so avoiding as of late… I'm sorry for that by the way…"

By now I really wanted to outright shout at her to get to the point. It wasn't only serving to make me anxious beyond rational sense but also produced some reactions from Hotaru that were altogether unpleasant and made me temporally want to scowl at the girl who I had very fond feelings for myself. Even if Hotaru said otherwise, Minako avoiding us after the incident had hurt her. I knew that the blonde didn't really resent any of what happened and there probably were some important reasons for her avoidance, yet I couldn't quite deny that I felt somewhat upset about the entire matter myself. It's not like we couldn't deal with a simple "It was nice but that's all there's going to be". Both of us pretty much knew this would be the reaction. Okay, maybe hearing it outright would be harder than I thought right now but still she shouldn't have acted like…

"Does what happened really disgust you so much." I think even I was shocked by that question from my recent lover, said with a stoic calm that was somewhat chilling, clearly more Saturn than Hotaru. This almost emotionless expression and voice was one of the very reasons that the Senshi of Silence was feared like no other. But, somehow, I could detect a note of deep hurt as well.

Glancing back towards Minako I noticed her reaction was all but passive, having turned away her face slightly but still clearly putting out signs of shame and regret. That still didn't exactly prepare me for her next words. Not at all. "I know that you love me, you too, Mako-chan." I wasn't sure how Hotaru reacted to this but if her shock was anything like mine I believe that our expressions must have been comical.

The blonde girl across from us wasn't laughing though, just a sad smile that lacked any real conviction. "I am the Senshi of Love, minna, I can sense those things, you know?" That left both us a little chagrinned and effectively silencing any comment we might have made which I suspected was much to Minako's benefit. She had remained more or less calm… at least what could be described as that in our current situation. Now though I noticed that she was shaking slightly and her voice became more softer, almost desperate in quality. "I never meant to hurt any of you. I… care very much for both of you and please believe me, disgusting is not even coming to mind when I think back on that night." Her face lightened up slightly, only for a fraction of a moment and obviously Hotaru had as well. "I don't know why I do what I am doing, making a fool out of my love life and this really isn't about me… Well, actually it is…" She stopped herself again, fidgeting and if I didn't know any better she was the verge of a nervous breakdown… Alright, I really didn't know any better.

Before that could happen though, Minako hastily deterred again, almost making me want to scream in annoyed anticipation. "You asked about yesterday, Hotaru-chan. Well, I really had a bad day and it kind of came all crashing down on me at once. Being fired, my career effectively ended…"

"Nani?" I all but sputtered, the first thing I managed to say for some time.

Again we were treated to a tremendous mood swing when the blonde laughed lightly, almost actually seeming amused, then sobering rapidly, appearing more morose than before. "Okay, not actually fired. More like put on forced vacation for pretty much the next year but all three of us know that my career is done for anyway in half a year." I tried to sort this out logically, not wanting to jump to any conclusion right now. Of course, with this logic Minako's statement of being fired was accurate enough. And I damn well knew how hard she had worked for this and how much she enjoyed every second of it. So, I could understand her being upset. But the question was why would her bosses feel the need to put her on vacation on the absolute height of a stellar career that had received reckoning from all over the world already. Nothing short of some accident rendering her incapable of performing would bring out something like that and Minako seemed pretty healthy to me…

Hotaru had obviously been thinking the same thing and I was silently grateful for sitting already at her sudden exclamation. "Kami-sama! I thought I was seeing things but the way you winced when Haruka-papa made that funny comparison. You are pregnant!"

I pretty much gaped at Hotaru, then turned back to Minako almost daring a denial from my friend. But the blonde only chuckled weakly. "And here I thought I was observant. You are right, I'm pretty much two months along…"

Pregnant? My mind had a hard time wrapping itself around the concept. Despite my shock though something else began a steady rhythm of growing suspicion. "Matte, what does that all have to do with that night…" I recalled Minako's last words and came to something akin to truly troubling realization. "Two months??? But that was around the time when…"

Minako reached into her pocket and pulled out a small compact that I immediately recognized as her own version of Usagi's transformation pen. "I had Artemis analyze it. Apparently the magic sustaining my compact has been changed somewhat, allowing a more physical alteration of the body than before."

Yes, I was very glad that I was sitting. Very, very glad about that…

******************************

(Mamoru)

"What was that all about?" I asked confused as I sat down in the driver seat of my car. The somewhat abrupt end in which Setsuna had suggested we'd call it a night was more than suspicious. I knew the older woman for a long time now, especially because our work often overlapped. And while she didn't actually demand from us to leave, there was definitely some not so subtle nudging.

"Now, come on, Mamo-chan. Surely you can figure out that they wanted to be alone to talk," Usagi said nonchalantly, in a matter-of-fact tone that made me almost baulked at my wife. She had become so mature and calm over the years, I mused. There was a lot of Serenity in her now but unlike the Princess of the Moon, she had actually made the experiences of normal life and despite what others might think, the combination was a clear benefit for her. Serenity had only known life on the Moon. She had been born a Princess, only able to long for a normal life but never knowing it the way she had often wished to. The part of me that was Endymion had and still did love her but it was Usagi, with all her faults and quirks that I fell in love with in this life, even before I knew she was my reincarnated secret lover from a kingdom long time ago.

"Well, I was there this morning, so I can understand that Minako wants to be alone…" The tension in the air had been tangible and only grew in intensity the more the evening progressed. And it wasn't just Minako… "Matte, did you say they? But the only ones that were still there when we left…" It was times like this that showed why Usagi was regardless of age and her other eccentrics the emotional expert. I might have incredible gifts myself but save for Endymion's memories, my life hadn't been one of many close, personal contacts until I met Usagi. Sure, I wasn't really avoiding every human contact but never had there been any strong friendships or maybe love interest like most boys my age. Losing my memories and growing up without parents had done that to me. Therefore than it came to emotional issues I had to concede the field to my wife… As much as that hurt my male ego.

Usagi laughed lightly and I felt momentarily distracted by the merrily amused expression playing over her features. Kami, she had really grown up and by now was almost a complete mirror image of her future self, the Neo Queen. Many on my High School and at the beginning of University had looked at me funny when I mentioned my girlfriend and that she was almost four years younger. That had changed lately and more than often I had actually received envious reactions. A part of me actually relished in that change since some of the jerks who had _criticized_ my relationship and marriage to a much younger girl had to grudgingly admit now that they had been wrong.

"Sometimes you are really clueless, Mamo-chan," Usagi chided with a twinkle in her eyes, telling me that she was only humoring me. "I thought you were there than Ami gave us those extra lessons." She winked at me meaningfully.

What extra lessons…? Oh! My confusion cleared momentarily but elicited a faint blush that I quickly tried to hide… without success as Usagi's smirk indicated. "Ah that… yes," I murmured, clearly remembering Ami's tutorial a few months ago, as useless as they happened to be now. "Demo, what does that have to do with Minako's problem? And what is the connection with Makoto and Hotaru here?" I feverishly tried to figure out what Usagi was hinting at here but the obvious always eluded me. I knew I was pretty smart and often it was Usagi who gave me blank looks than I talked about subjects that were related to my work or other things of interest. Just like this evening than I had discussed some problems with a project of mine with Ami, Usagi had more or less pointedly ignored the conversation, more or less having given up on trying to understand what we were talking about long ago. Her interest lay more in art these days where she had shown remarkable talent lately. For the life of me I couldn't figure out where she was heading with her hints though.

"Isn't it obvious?" Usagi asked with a rare confidence, indicating that she was rather assured of her own logic. Therefore I wasn't quite prepared for the at first seemingly absurd conclusion. "I've spent so much time preparing for one, I know what a pregnancy looks like. Even if Minako is pretty good at hiding it." My mouth fell open and I stared perplexed at my wife as if she had completely lost her mind. Which was my primary thought at that moment, mind you. Usagi giggled and reached over to actually proceed to close my mouth gently.

After some time of serious contemplation that involved logic that I wasn't proud to actually relate to anyone who might know me, I managed the excellent articulated reply of, "Wha…?"

At this point Usagi really burst out into laughter, drawing a cross expression from me that only further intensified the reaction. I guess I couldn't really fault her since I really must have looked like a fish on dry land or something like that. My wife's logic continued to fly right over my head though and thus I tried to get her attention with an undignified, "Hey!"

Usagi's laughter slowly died down and she tried to actually look apologetic… which came out as a cross between the actual intent and a half-grin that really annoyed me. "Gomen nasai. You just looked so funny…" The half-smirk turned into a full one and I couldn't help but pout which brought further amusement to her eyes. "I know it sounds crazy and don't ask me how. I have no idea. But all the signs are there and Minako's behavior makes more sense this way. I could figure that her boss found out or something like that and well, you can guess the rest. She really loved performing, you know."

That got me to give the notion some more serious thought. Granted it still sounded crazy, Usagi even admitted to that. But just assuming she was right and now that she said it, I had to admit that some of the signs Minako had been giving off over the day and evening could lead to that farfetched conclusion. Somehow I doubted though that any of her… relationships – as much as you could use the term for them – had been that tight. Her latest boyfriend hadn't been at the party either – which none of us felt like pointing out – and therefore I doubted there was some connection there. Besides I didn't see Minako as the irresponsible one. On the contrary she had become more and more serious over the years, discarding her teenage quirks and showing them less often. Which brought me to another thing I didn't understand.

"Assuming you are right. I doubt Minako would be that irresponsible to accidentally get pregnant. And what do the other two have to with the whole thing?"

Usagi appeared thoughtful for a few moments, obviously in intense concentration. I saw a certain haze clouding her gaze for a moment, something I had experienced time and time again whenever she was trying to remember something from her past life. "I'm not sure. You remember Minako's birthday party, right?" I nodded, not quite getting what my wife was trying to tell me but willing to listen, she seemed too certain about her idea to simply discard it as crazy. "I don't know how but I got the feeling something _happened_ there between the three of them."

I caught the pronunciation and for once got the message right away, making me color slightly for the second time in a couple of minutes. "You mean they…" Not that I was that prudent to not get the picture. Hey, despite my lonely childhood I was still a guy. And despite the _proper_ values of Japanese society they had taught us in the orphanage, I was not so narrow-minded to judge such a thing easily. As much as I was concerned what the three of them did was none of my business, aside from whatever Usagi might think that had to with Minako's – assumed – current condition. "But that's…" I started to protest, lots of scientific arguments coming to mind that spoke against Usagi's implied meaning that I got quite clearly this time.

"Star mating," my wife interrupted thoughtfully. "In the Silver Millennium it was rare but sometimes two Senshi who… well, you know what… They could actually father a child. But I can't see Minako agreeing to that consciously, aside from the fact that she was clearly not prepared for the possible impacts on her life. There's probably more behind it but I'm still pretty sure that she's pregnant…"

Another time I would have loved to muse about the subject. In terms of genetic research the subject was highly interesting and considering the mix of science and magic I was currently working with, I would not exclude the possibility in the near future, but I was much too aware of the way the topic affected my wife and therefore decided to not give in to my curiosity.

Gently I reached out and took one of her hands, meeting her blue eyes that held a note of wistfulness in them, mixed with barely visible sadness and longing. "Maybe you are right. Our lives are already extraordinary. Why should we get our kids the normal way? I'm sure there is an explanation for everything."

Usagi smiled weakly and nodded slowly, squeezing my hand before reluctantly letting go. "I know. Don't worry about me, I'm sure she'll come, one way or another." Usagi turned to look out of the window, not really glancing back at the house, more lost in thought.

After a short while of silence, I started the engine of the car and slowly began the drive home. I didn't need to say anything. Usagi knew that I was equally worried about the same thing. After all roughly six months remained and Endymion had said Chibiusa would be born on the same day of Crystal Tokyo's rising. Therefore everyone assumed that Usagi was already pregnant, thus the preliminary lessons from Ami to prepare us for the inevitable. The birth of our daughter was a fix point all of us took for granted on the way to our destiny.

The only problem was, Usagi wasn't pregnant yet.

******************************

(Minako)

_Baka! Baka! BAKA!!!_

The sprint that would have impressed an Olympic marathon runner gradually slowed down to a mere trot, drained out of the fight or flight instinct that overcame me minutes ago, now bare of any desperation. All that was left was a reflection of my inner turmoil and self-disgust.

Why the hell did she have to go and do that? I really didn't understand that girl at all! Both of them actually. But Hotaru had always been an enigma to me. Well, not to me exclusively. The only one who probably came at least close to understanding her would be Setsuna. But that still didn't explain her reaction. It was clear by now that both her and Makoto had taken their relationship to a new phase recently. When I couldn't quite tell, not that it mattered. I was actually happy for them – even though I had felt a pang of… regret at the realization. I couldn't give them what they wanted. I just couldn't… or didn't want to or…

"Gah!" I kicked a small piece of rubble with so much strength that it flew across the dimly-lit street and smashed into the window of a hardware store, setting off an alarm and startling me half to death. For a moment I just stood there gaping. "Oops…" I mumbled sheepishly. Finally I had the presence of mind to slip into the shadows of a back alley, slumping against the wall with a deep guttural sound that was hard to describe and couldn't really pass for a sigh, groan or whatever you might come up with. I didn't even blink when a few drops of liquid hit my face, indicating the start of a light drizzle.

Why had she been so damn understanding? I had actually expected, dared, practically wanted them to be shocked, scandalized or anything else that gave me a reason to further blame anything on that damn incident, that brief lapse of judgment, that one failure of the tight control I had put over my life. For once I had let go and just enjoyed the moment, heedless of any possible repercussion. I mean what could possible happen from just a bit too much alcohol? I scarcely drank anyway. But it had been my birthday and just one time wouldn't do harm…

I snorted bitterly. Yeah, right.

What I said to Hotaru was the truth. I did not despise the incident. Not at all. Deep down in myself I knew that this was the only way I could actually achieve happiness. That only by letting myself fall into the arms of fate could provide me with the completion I had been seeking for so long. But as soon as those thoughts would even make it to my mind I would end up pushing them back, locking them into the strongest cage in the deepest corner of my mind and throwing the key away even deeper… Just like now. I was again making a fool out of myself, running out of my own house because of the possibility that someone actually wanted to love and feel responsible for me. I didn't understand it or maybe I didn't want to understand the paradox of my love life and that is why I was acting so unlike all the advise I could give any sort of couple. I could get any two people together but was totally inept in sorting out my own feelings.

Hotaru had been so excessively understanding it had smashed right through the tight walls I had built up all around me. How was it that she could be so adamant about the matter, about being there for me, for the… baby… Oh sure, they were both shocked at first. Predictable reaction. If they hadn't at least been shocked, I would have accused them right away of being inhuman. I had kept a tight hold on my emotions after getting Artemis' acknowledgment that the compact had indeed been altered in the way I had suspected. Relaying the information and not succumbing to the sheer madness this situation resembling more a soap opera Senshi-style than real life invoked was a very hard thing. And I had clearly expected them to be more… more…

Hell, I didn't know what I expected! However, it was surely not Hotaru being so incredible gentle and compassionate, promising that they – confirming that just through one look and nod – would support me and the child all the way. I inquired about that of course, not able to believe that they didn't seem to feel cheated by the situation or express any such emotion. They've just recently taken to each other in a more intimate manner, it could hardly be a few days since I would have noticed that at New Year already. Their relationship had to still be fragile and now there was me revealing that one of them fathered – Kami-sama, how ridiculous does that sound? – my child! And what does Hotaru do? Told me that she loved me! That she could never abandon me albeit what I might be feeling! And Mako-chan was right behind her!!!

What did I do to deserve this? What did I do to deserve them? At the very least they should be angry with me for not telling them sooner, thus excluding them from what they felt was their responsibility too! Why did they have to show such unconditional love that it drove me crazy and to make me act in such desperation, resulting in the very smooth maneuver of fleeing from my own house…

I wasn't quite sure if I was crying, the light rain making it hard to distinguish, but my eyes felt moist and I wanted nothing more than just to melt into the ground in my misery. The biggest problem about the entire confrontation was that I really couldn't fault them. They had their hearts set. Whatever kind of relationship there was, I was almost sure I was the cause for its existence in some way, and neither of them could just discard their feelings. Also it was only to be expected, the various unbelievable circumstances taken aside, that they'd feel responsible for something that all of us had a part in creating, unintentional and unconscious or not.

The real problem lay with me and experiencing anything that came close to real love. And I couldn't deny it right now, the defenses had been ripped open much too wide to repair right away. In truth I wished nothing more than that I could have just accepted what they offered so genuinely and selflessly but once again I had pushed away one of the few chances of achieving the level of completion every living soul longed for. The frustrating thing was that I had no idea why…

I blinked away tears, trying more or less in vain to focus, as I felt something tingle in the back of my mind, something that could not be perceived by normal human senses… something…

Before I could finish the thought my vision blurred and I felt my spirit slip away…

I had come to experience flashbacks before. I knew all the signs of past life memory temporally overlapping the present awareness and they always came at the worst possible moments. Somehow it was almost logical that one would come now. However, what I expected and what I actually got to witness were two entirely different things. I thought I had seen nearly everything of importance from the life of Princess Venus and that might be the truth. The scene enfolding before my mind's eye, inserting me as a passive rider in my past life's body was not of my life as Princess Venus, protector and close confidant of the Princess. It was of someone different.

Several things clued me in on this at once. Very helpful was the fact that my past life was currently standing in front of a large mirror and I could clearly see the difference in age. The Venus of the Moon Kingdom had never lived to be that old. Well, old was a description that put shame to the vision of absolute sheer beauty starring back at my past life from beyond the reflecting glass. _That's me?_ a stray thought echoed in awe in my present day conscious. Quite frankly there wasn't that much of a physical difference. I knew that a Senshi by herself had a longer lifespan because of the purity of the star seed. All the Ginzishou did was enhance the span of a living being when used correctly. This version of Venus was hardly older than her Silver Millennium self or myself, probably only a few years on outward appearance. But the blonde woman radiated an aura of such intense brilliance that I would have shied away from it had I been in any control of my body. I had met many charismatic people in my career but that…

I barely saw her move up behind me – or my past self in the mirror – before her arms encircled me from behind. Hair falling over her shoulders way past her hips in a long, lecherous manner distinctly reminding me of the version of her that had been a Daimon-influenced reflection, I got pretty much the second shock right away because I was virtually unprepared for how absolutely gorgeous the other woman looked. No way was that Saturn! No freaking way!

However, if the black hair and albino-white skin where not enough indicators the purple sign on her forehead was a sure giveaway.

Now, I somewhat expected words being exchanged, giving me any clue about the situation, teaching me something significant. All that happened was that my past self turned in the embrace and with an ease and confidence expressing the trust that came with a relationship found upon unconditional love from both parties Venus brought her lips to Saturn's, both melting into a sensual kiss that I experienced as much as it was my present self standing there and that left me feel for the first time ever in experiencing memory flashbacks like an intruder. As my counterpart caught Saturn's hand and both strode out of the chamber without a word being exchanged, something was ignited inside of me that I at first couldn't quite understand. It was partly longing, longing for that perfection I could tell in those two and the state of their relationship. The perfection I was longing for myself. And that left me with envy.

There was one detail though that left me with even more questions and aggravating confusion when the flashback ended abruptly, dumping me back into the cold back alley somewhere in Minato-ku. I knew what a memory from my past life felt like. I had experienced it often enough to recall the slight discrepancy whenever I was observing from my previous life's perspective. There always was something off, something that set me apart from Princess Venus, something that made it all too clear that we were not totally the same person anymore.

That feeling had been completely missing just now.

******************************

(Tomoyo)

Like a tiny firefly glowing softly in the rainy night sky the semi-translucent sprite floated up to its Mistress and hovered just in the air in front of our current location on a low roof top. The sprite in question was like all card's spiritual forms female in appearance – though by now it was almost certain that they didn't really have any gender in particular, only their human projections of the astral bodies looked like a female. The hair was a somewhat grayish color. Not really silver but not really appearing like some trait of age. That would be rather dumb to assume considering how _young_ the card in question actually was.

"So, I take it, everything worked out?" Sakura at my side asked.

"I have performed the task to the letter, Mistress. There already was some residential traces of the memories you wanted unlocked, probably through dreams she was having of late. Therefore it was easy to actually draw out an appropriate memory to what Love was suggesting to be helpful."

"Does that mean it really is her?" We had come across the girl… well, young woman entirely by accident. We had been out late, researching an entirely different but not less important – and especially personal – subject when we witnessed the distraught blonde that had drawn my girlfriend's attention. I know that I still wasn't too good with my memories of that past life I had shared with Sakura. The events of four years ago had altered both of us, but Sakura more so. She had been more or less in the center and her magic was already awakened at this time, thus making her more apt to receive the memories. Whereas I had more or less been acting out of necessity and the fear of losing Sakura after her reckless way of resealing her… well, in a way more like our old nemesis.

Sakura had recognized the girl at once as one of the two who had erected the outer seal that we had had so much trouble fixing after Clow's unintentional tempering with forces he did not really understand. It made a good practice for Memory I had to admit and obviously a successful one. I had an interest after all in the success of Sakura's latest creation since it was primarily created as a favor for me. Maybe through Memory I could finally unlock my own past life, equaling me once again in status to my mate.

Not that I felt somewhat less because Sakura had full memories of her past life and I had only a few. I had chosen to walk this path with Sakura. She was everything to me that mattered and I had long since resolved any doubts I could have had about her somewhat altered personality endangering our relationship. Sakura choose deliberately to unlock her memories to save me and everyone else. At this time it was one of the greatest sacrifices she could have ever made for my sake, thus proving to me once again, that the time-traveled Sakura with memories of a life eons ago was still my Sakura-chan. The girl I loved above else and who I had by now secure knowledge shared those feelings entirely.

A second sprite flew up almost as if in reply to my question, bringing me out of my short reverie. "Yes, it is beyond question Venus. Their soul signature match perfectly and I think she got that point though it seems to confuse her a lot right now. If you wonder about the cause of her distress…"

Sakura waved a hand at the spitting mirror image of the young woman who was just about getting to her feet, still appearing rather shaken. "It is none of our business, Love-chan. But she needs to overcome her problems or Pandora will have an easy prey in her."

The card sprite nodded sadly. "I know. It is hard to tell since I am not really an imprint of her past life anymore, but she is fighting with her own destiny on an entirely unconscious level that I doubt she even understands herself. Unlike you, Mistress, she has not mastered complete harmony with two different sets of memories. Which is not surprising considering that up to now she's only been exposed to those of her past incarnation."

Sakura sighed softly but with a gesture allowed the two card sprites to return to the Astral Plane and from there back to the book. Letting out a small sigh I had not even been aware she was holding, the redhead admitted, "I am glad that field test turned out well even if not entirely planned for. I half feared sending Love to probe her would somehow provoke something… more extreme." A fear well-founded, I had to admit since both of us still didn't knew the exact outlines of both similarities and differences in the cards of Love and Silence that had been Sakura's first – somewhat accidentally – creations in the process of releasing the original spirits into the seal. They were in many things mirror images of what they had been before albeit the so disastrous binding power that had upset the seal in the first place upon their creation by Clow Reed. It was no doubt that they had been actually recreated four years ago but a lot of their former spirit selves seemed to have been imprinted on the new ones.

Without a word needing to be spoken I took Sakura's hand, stepping closer to her, not bothering with any sort of restraint in showing affection in public. After all we were on a rooftop, way past midnight, in a light rain that would be soaking if not for Watery's subtle protection. "But it did work, Sakura-chan. Have more confidence in your abilities and don't doubt yourself so often." That was really kind of amazing but also rather endearing. Granted that trait could prove to be annoying at times but I had after all been well-versed in boosting Sakura's self-confidence, the faith in her abilities. One of the base foundations of our relationship as Sakura always reminded me of.

Right now my mate just smiled, conveying with fond-looking golden eyes – an exotic quality as result of the merge of her respective lives – that she was thinking along the same lines. "You are entirely too good to me, Tomo-chan." She glanced back down into the alley and I noted that the blonde woman was slowly making her way back to the main street and, as I hoped, ultimately home.

"You are not going to say anything? You know that at least a warning could be…"

Sakura shook her head softly but from the way her expression shifted I knew for certain that it would be virtually impossible to try and change her mind about it. "I doubt she's in any shape for that now. If she were in full possession of her memories, confronting her would be alright. But as it is, she has to work out her own problems first. We would only be confusing her with our presence. There is still some time." She shook her head with a wry look. "I don't really like playing Xelloss and believe me we will confront them now that we know for certain that they are in the area. But for now we have to look for someone else…" My girlfriend trailed off slightly, a significant pause I had learned to recognize.

"You…" I hesitated, thinking hard on how to phrase the question. "You miss Sylphiel, don't you?" Feeling Sakura shift nervously I brought an arm around her waist, snuggling closer against her body, conveying physically what Sakura often had trouble to be convinced of emotionally as much as I tried. I really was okay with it. In fact… "I understand. I feel more and more that something is missing myself." That brought about a startled reaction of surprise from my companion. "Not like something was wrong between us but… I dunno, I don't have your full memories, but what I remember about her – and us in the same context – is most vivid. We are different people now but still it seems sometimes to me that there is still something missing to reach complete fulfillment."

There was a long pause after that and I was half afraid I had actually shaken up Sakura pretty badly. But just as I was about to separate and take a better look at her, I could feel her body relax visibly from some strain even I had hardly known was there. Which in itself was a rare thing. "That's good," Sakura said truly relieved. "You know that I love you and I know you love me and all that but Syl-chan…"

"I know. We'll find her. If only for protecting the last seal child. Whatever happens then, we'll just have to go with the flow. Just like back then…"

The redhead actually had to smile at that, clearly a nostalgic one. "Yeah, just like old times, huh?" I glanced up meeting Sakura's gaze just in time when she glanced down. An unspoken but powerful message of unconditional love passed between us. Trust and faith in the other acquired through many hardships. Finding our missing element would prove another such hardship but unlike the previous ones trust and faith in our partner would never be an issue to question anymore. And deep down even Sakura knew that.

We had been putting a lot of effort into searching for the reincarnation of the one girl that had completed the odd arrangement of our past lives' relationship. And I sincerely believed that we were coming close. Sakura thought that we would actually been drawn together eventually. We had pretty much eliminated any possible candidate at Neo Infinity – Sakura's position as head of the magic wing and my own as benefactor and co-owner – allowing us more than just a few extra privileges. Therefore we were now investigating other possible locations that could draw someone as powerful as a reincarnated shrine maiden. Sakura was pretty sure she'd recognize her on the spot albeit any physical changes.

"Ready to go?" Sakura softly whispered. I nodded barely visibly and moved closer and tightening my hold on her, while Sakura did likewise. Without even ushering a command Fly's wings sprang from my mate's back, gracefully lifting us both high above Minato-ku's streets. Sure, I could have further practiced that flight spell Sakura had been teaching me but I felt much too tired for that and obviously Sakura shared my opinion.

******************************

(Hotaru)

How much time elapsed while I was standing there with my hand outstretched in a vain attempt to stop the fleeting form of Minako was hard to tell. Could have been seconds, could have been minutes, could have actually been hours! The point was, an earthquake could have brought down the house around us and a needle hitting the well-padded floor could have been a sound akin to a tornado fighter flying through the room at mach speed.

My inner self was in utter turmoil, a whirl of conflicting reactions and emotions all wanting to go in different directions while the events that had just transpired repeated to replay themselves in my mind. That was so not what I had been expecting. Sure, I had been worried pretty badly over the encounter yesterday evening but I had never suspected something so… impacting. Minako didn't leave any doubt about her theory – which Artemis obviously supported and confirmed with something akin to a ninety-nine percent certainty. The transformation compact had definitely been altered and I could pretty much tell that neither she or Makoto had the magical experience to do such a feat. The power, yes. The experience, no. The Venus I knew and still loved would have known how to. We were more aware of the magic around us and to our disposal back then. And that only left one possible party who could have done what ultimately lead to the creation of the… baby…

All at once the full impact of what exactly had just been revealed came rushing at me like a tsunami held back briefly by an obstacle, storing the inevitable and pushing it to even higher levels of crushing force when it finally came washing over me in a way that left my head spinning. I wasn't even aware of falling before strong arms caught me with a dismayed outcry of my name. I hardly took note of that at first. I wasn't sure how I had actually managed to cope the way I did. I only knew that at the moment Minako was utterly miserable over the issue, the life she had been building for several years now falling to pieces. It didn't matter, I had realized, that it would all be over for us in half a year anyway. That was a sacrifice we were all prepared to make. The chance for a relatively normal life was viewed more as a gift by all of us equally and having it taken apart like this… And nonetheless through an unplanned, uncalculated act of…

"Kami-sama!" I breathed, finding it hard to breathe all of a sudden. "What did I do? I messed it all up! She hates me now for what I…"

All of a sudden I was practically whirled around and was momentarily stunned out of my own frenzy by the fury in the emerald eyes of my recent lover – oh yeah, another wonderful timing at that! "She does not hate you! Didn't you listen? Minako isn't blaming us and she's certainly blaming neither of us for what happened! So what if it is obvious that you are the only one who altered the compact?"

"But don't you see?" I retailed almost desperately, practically daring her to prove my self-loathing. "I must have done it. I seduced her! I practically raped her against her will and in doing so I got her…" My voice dropped to a mute whisper as I finished, "… pregnant."

While Makoto's fury had momentarily staggered me the slap was more than enough to freeze the flood that had overwhelmed me solid. "We, Hotaru-chan. WE," the brown-haired girl stated in a deadly calm manner that actually impressed my Senshi self. "I've just got as much stake in this as you do. I feel just as obligated and for the Kami knows equally shocked. But the fact remains that we are all equally at fault for this mess and I can understand Minako reacting badly in her position. But, by all means, get a grip and think. We were all pretty much drunk and what happened was more a mistake than anything. A mistake that Minako herself admitted to have never regretted. Or did you forget that already?"

That blow was finally enough to get me to focus beyond the state I had worked myself into and with a colossal effort I managed to slip into the trance nearly devoid of emotion that was Saturn, managing to get my mind straight and realizing in the process just what a fool I had been. I slumped forward, exhausted more than from any battle, emotionally drained and thoroughly confused. "I… I know… It's just… this is all so…" I trailed off, finding myself unable to vocalize anything beyond this point.

Makoto pulled me closer, pretty much into her lap, and I melted into the embrace with gratitude. "I know," she whispered soothingly, one hand working through my hair in a manner that would normally prove very relaxing but now was only exerting marginally the same reaction. "Kami, I know. I still can hardly believe it myself… And I really wish that baka girl hadn't run off like that."

Where was a period of silence in which neither of us spoke, on mutual agreement trying to stay in the relatively safe – and sane – haven the other's closeness provided. The event that had just came over us with the speed and force of a thunderstorm began to slowly filter past the initial haze of shock and frenzy. Now that I had reestablished some measure of control I could really review the revelations being made. And the results I came up with left me just as helpless as before. What Makoto said was true. There was no one really to blame and if anything all three of us had a similar stake in the affair. I was not fool enough – now that I could think rationally – to just put the blame all upon myself, regardless of the fact that the possibility of being the guilty party was unmistakably high. We had all been present and done our part to ensure this disaster. Back then it had been an innocent incident that had somewhat changed our relationship but neither of us really regretted it. I had been enormously happy when Minako assured no ill feelings of resentment about the night, I could have sworn that I had actually heard some fondness but did not dare to leave my hopes wonder in such a direction.

The point was simple. All of us were a little to blame of having let ourselves go that far but beyond that the measure of control over the situation was certainly very low. And what where the chances of conceiving a child from one night of obvious magically-aided sexual intercourse, never mind the fact that none of us had really remembered something like that having happened upon wakening? No, the chances were astronomically thin. An almost sadistic coincidence… or a whim of fate since I really didn't believe much in coincidence beyond a certain limit. And that limit had long since been transgressed.

"I hate this," I murmured softly, my own voice jolting me slightly in the askance silence of the room. "It's spinning out of control, again. We had all just managed to stabilize our lives, leading as close to normal ones as is possible for us and now that… Don't we have any say in such personal choices?" There was a lot more implied in the protest. A lot of which Makoto or anyone else save Pluto would really understand. I had witnessed often enough to resent the helplessness those like us had over our lives. It was always the same. We had certain roles to fill as children of the stars, our existence was important. And often fate wasn't as pleasant as what Usagi and Mamoru had gone through. Far more often the consequences were bound to change you forever. "What are we going to do now? I know it's not my fault but I still feel horrible and Minako… I don't want to force her into anything but… she's bearing my… our child…" I chuckled in a weak and altogether sarcastic attempt of humor. "That sounds even crazier the more I think about it…"

"Tell me about it," Makoto replied, not pulling away from the comforting embrace. There was no doubt that she needed it just like me. "You had a good idea though. What you said to her, I mean. It's our mess and we are in this together. Minako is going to need us and whether she likes it or not, it's our kid too, regardless of who is technically the father here." She sighed mournfully. "I think I understand what she's going through, partly at least. You might know her past self better than me but you never really were reborn like us." I had to silently concede that point. In terms of understanding the relationship between a current and past life I was still learning and the near symbiotic relationship Saturn and I shared was not exactly a prime example. "Whatever we decide to do, Minako foremost needs our help. She's pregnant and this is bound to impact on her life even more when it has already." I more felt than saw the taller girl looking down and tilted my head to meet her gaze. "You still love her, don't you?"

The question was rhetorical and both of us knew it. I could have asked the same to her with just the same result as the shaky nod from my side could convey. I hadn't said it before but that wasn't really necessarily. The timing really couldn't have been worse. Had I known yesterday evening what the exact nature of Minako's troubling state had been, had I followed her home and demanded an answer as a fleeting instinct had demanded of me, I would have never taken that step with Makoto. On the one hand that could have averted the problem we were facing now that threatened to crush the fresh, tentative relationship with the obligation at least one of us would have as a potential _father_… On the other hand, I dared to assume that neither of us would probably survive the emotional challenge that clearly lay ahead of us without the other.

All those thoughts seemed to actually reflect in the green orbs holding my own captive. I was somewhat awed by the firm resolve displayed upon my lover's features. "Good then. You might have surprised me yesterday but I could have stopped you if I wanted. I am not about to give up on us just yet and since we are all equally responsible here that leaves us with few choices."

My eyebrows climbed at the implications. Surely Makoto could not honestly mean… "You…" I almost squeaked.

The other girl smiled awkwardly. "She needs us now. In more than just mere presence. She might protest about it but as emotionally unstable as she is now, that will only prove unhealthy. For her and the baby. I know this sounds… daring… but what do we have to lose?"

Daring… yeah sure. The understatement of the year. Still Makoto's words made an odd kind of sense and given the complexity – not to mention already clear absurdity – of the situation there was hardly any cause to protest. But the task in itself would be very daring indeed and if done wrong could very well turn out more destructive than not attempting it. So what was there really to lose. One single thing…

I grasped Makoto's hands tightly surprising the older girl with the desperation I hoped to relay. "You, Mako-chan," I whispered so softly that it was below the level of audibility for a normal person, not a Senshi, of course. "I have you to lose."

Makoto reacted almost as if slapped but didn't reply but instead drew me even closer against her body and into a much needed kiss that managed to at least partially dispel the sudden fear that had overcome me. "Never," she whispered back. "Not as long, as I can help it."

Which was the problem with the chaotic situation that had escaped any measure of rational control. I feared that neither of us could help but succumb to the inevitable consequences. Whatever they may be.

TBC in Phase Two: Dealing

******************************

Author's Notes

Hmm, she (Maia) really is infatuated with this one. *grumbles* Will I ever finish ANYTHING with a muse like that?

Anyway. I'm not sure if I have anything significant to say. Sakura-tachi's part in this phase was cut short a little, shorter than I intended. That'll definitely change in the remaining two phases even though this part is still mostly focusing on the three Senshi and their parental problems, it is after all, strictly put another prequel to the main event but more essential at that as the Forbidden Cards Series has been.

I hope I managed to portray the characters the way I wanted to. It was… different (and a little difficult) to base character development the way I wanted it on the manga plotline only. Usually I tend to mingle both a little and found myself slipping into that mindset here and there.

As I said this is a mixture of ideas I had of sorts. The initiator was the idea with the compact and just how real the transformation is. That's mostly what brought everything else together (most of which not even related to it) and voila there we have another gigantic-seeming project. *sigh*

I'm not sure when I have something new for those who are following this on the list and/or board since I'm still working out how exactly I'll go about the second phase in detail but the ideas are almost solid now, so it shouldn't be a very long break.

Ah, and I'm going to write some side stories focusing on the side plots and especially their histories that I am hinting at in this part and the following. The main story will balance the elements more but I'll still need to focus on certain things and there probably will be some things that will be less explained than originally intended. So, there will be side stories, including one that (should I feel to be in the mood) will occasionally fill in some lemon scenes. Oh, and mean as I am, the side stories will first and foremost be posted on the SiL list, not on the SA board, gotta set some priorities after all. The rest has to wait for official archiving.

I hope all of you who came from the Forbidden Cards series found this one. I am having a little… misunderstanding with Moonlit Nights about the last part of Seal Cards (and I still have no idea what I did wrong, my beta who I showed the mail exchange doesn't either…) and so I'm not sure when (and if) that one will be up there. This story definitely won't since it's something other than Hotaru/Chibiusa… You can find this project on the SA board and on my list where new parts (and individual scenes) will be posted first and until archiving exclusively.

Other than that, enough of the nonsense babble. I hope you enjoyed this one so far. You did? Good. Then you can now go and feed one hungry author and muse for their efforts, addy as always in the header.

Ja ne, yours

Matthias


	2. Phase Two: Dealing

Title: Soul Lights

Subtitle: Foreshadowed Dusk (2/3)

Status: Alpha

Author: Matthias aka MysticMew

Email: Minaru@gmx.de

(Plot) Beta-reader: Ayrki

Rating: R

Category: Angst, Romance, Crossover/Fusion (somewhat)

Fandoms: Sailormoon (manga), bits of Tenchi Muyo (OVA), Card Captor Sakura (manga)/Slayers, Ranma 1/2, Inuyasha, Vision of Escaflowne, Magic Knight Rayearth, Skies of Arcadia Legends

Main Pairing: Minako/Hotaru/Makoto, with a side focus on Sakura/Tomoyo/? and Lina/Amelia/Sylphiel (which in a way is the same)

Timeline: Five years after the end of the manga. This is the first Main Story Arc of the Soul Lights Continuum

Summary: Crystal Tokyo is just a few months away when the peaceful lives of the Senshi are thrown into utter chaos again. Can Minako survive the various hardships suddenly thrust into her path and can the Senshi survive their final battle to realize the future they worked so hard for?

Distribution: Soul Lights Continuum (), Starsinlove-group (), ff.net (www.fanfiction.net), Mediaminer (www.mediamer.org), ASMR (www.moonromance.net), Shoujo Ai.com (www.shoujoai.com). Anyone else, you can have it but please ask first, 'kay?

Disclaimer: See individual disclaimers below intro

Story Disclaimer: Copyright©2004 by Matthias Engel

Note: () indicates change of POV to the listed character, if empty then the following will be done in third person, a question mark indicates a character who is either unknown yet to the reader or should stay that way for now. Indicated time/place if necessary

******************************

200005 BC ()

Queen Amelia Wil Tesla Saillune stepped out at the balcony of the bedchamber she had spent the last night in – not her own at that. The sun hadn't risen yet and dawn was coloring the horizon in its colorful spectacle. It was weird, she rarely had had time in the last months to come out in the morning and watch the sunrise. Not that she was THAT romantic but the sight definitely had some appeal, a calming effect with which to begin a new stressful day. Now though, after one of the most bizarre and at the same time revealing encounters in her life – including the sudden duties of a ruler passed onto her after the successful assassination on her father Philionel. It was a small wonder that she felt so calm right now, not all disturbed with the hundred-eighty degree spin her – until now mostly non-existent – romantic life had taken.

Amelia did not turn when the other woman stepped up next to her. Sylphiel Nels Lahda, trained shrine maiden – well, priestess in all but actually acknowledged status – joined her friend – and after the recent events most likely so much more – in watching the peaceful scene of the capital city that during the last months had been all but peaceful with the conflicts between Shinzoku, Mazoku and the renegade mixed tribe that had settled at Dragon's Peak affecting the human society and invoking fears and more than a bit wariness.

"How are you feeling?" Sylphiel asked after awhile of silence, glancing at her friend out of the corner of her eye.

Amelia found the question horribly cliché but answered anyway with a wry smile. "Weird. Definitely weird. But strangely enough not repulsed or anything… I… Somehow I always wondered if there was something. What surprised me more was Lina's open admission…" She glanced sideways at the purple-haired woman who had gently laid one hand atop Amelia's.

"We are a lot more mature now. It's been… a long time since we all got to know each other."

"And since when did you know about her problems?" Amelia asked, the question having nagged at her mind ever since finding her two friends from so long in a rather compromising position.

The shrine maiden looked away briefly and Amelia thought she caught her grimace slightly. "Since the beginning." The young queen raised her eyebrows at the flat, somewhat bitter tone. "Lina… confided in me after the thing with Fibrizo was over. At first it was okay but then it got out of hand. She became more aggressive and well… I ended up leaving the group then. Not a smart move, yes. It was pitiful overreaction. I knew even back then that Lina's condition wasn't something she could control, she depended on me and well… As I said, we are all a lot older now and I think differently about this."

Amelia stared at her friend and recent lover intently for a moment. The other woman finally turned to meet her gaze, blue meeting green, and a sensation of kinship and affection passed between them. "But you love her, don't you? Not just an infatuation thing like Gourry?"

Sylphiel laughed merrily, having long since gotten over the notion of being embarrassed about her crush on the blonde swordsman. "I think I already loved her back then. I had a lot of time to think after Copy Rezo and before I met up with you again. Neither of us was ready to admit anything back then though. We were young, insecure and the situation was rather bizarre… even by our standards."

"Tell me about it," Amelia muttered. "I worked so hard politically lately though, I wonder if anything can really shock me anymore. It's just, I don't know how to handle an emotional situation like this…" She trailed of feeling the other woman's arm slip around her waist. The young queen did not quite know why but she felt the irresistible urge to lean her head against the taller woman and seeing as there was no reason to wear the mask of control here in the privacy of someone she had just shared the wildest night in her life with, Amelia complied with her instinct. A soft sigh escaped her lips when Sylphiel's arms fully slipped around her and she lifted her head to once again gaze into the gentle eyes of her friend, advisor and… lover. Strange, the term didn't really bother her at all.

"Will you be alright with this?" Sylphiel asked softly.

Amelia only hesitated for a moment. She and Sylphiel had become closer ever since the shrine maiden had come to stay with her a few months back. Without her friend's support she wondered if she had given up halfway through that stressful time filled with heavy diplomacy that she in no way felt really qualified to deal with but somehow ended up doing. And it was evident that Lina would need them both now, regardless of their feelings.

Amelia could think of worse compromises. So, instead of answering, she moved forward and captured Sylphiel's lips with her own.

******************************

The year 2001. The world has entered the new Millennium and the birth of a new age is proclaimed. Yet, the true birth is still to come, now in tangible distance. The Senshi prepare for the promised rebirth of their kingdom, enjoying the last months of normal life.

But while events unforeseen begin to shatter the tranquility and happiness of their everyday life, in the shadows something old and absolute dark is stirring. Soon it will show its face and then, then the true battle will begin…

******************************

M&M DreamWorks Presents

Soul Lights

Foreshadowed Dusk

Phase Two: Dealing

A Mega-Crossover/Fusion Epic

Based on the works of Takeuchi Naoko and all other assorted authors

Bishoujo Senshi Sailormoon(c)Takeuchi Naoko

Card Captor Sakura, Magic Knight Rayearth(c)CLAMP

Slayers(c)Hajime Kanzaka, Rui Araizumi

Tenchi Muyo(c)Pioneer

Inuyasha, Ranma 1/2(c)Takahashi Rumiko

The Vision of Escaflowne(c)Kawamori Shoji, Yatate Hajime

Skies of Arcadia Legends(c)Nintendo, Sega, Overworks

******************************

February 16, 2001 (Tomoyo)

With a startled gasp I returned to conscious awareness as the vision ended rather abruptly, leaving me with a particular taste as if almost having experienced personally what Memory had been relaying me. That was hardly a first, the nature of flashbacks being a rather realistic one. They often left me a lot to muse about.

"Woah…" I murmured at the intense feelings left by that last particular experience. Not that it had been the first scene of such nature I had experienced in my still barely adequate "memory training", far from it. But most of the time that which I did remember tended to center or at least prioritizes in dealing with Sakura and my past life. I think that was the first one about me and Sylphiel alone.

"Are you alright, Mistress?" I glanced to the side seeing Memory hover there with a hesitant, somewhat worried expression.

I was quick to alleviate her concerns though. "It's alright. That particular memory was just… rather powerful. I know you can't really influence an exact memory, so don't feel bad about it. Besides, I want to learn after all." I smiled at the card sprite who relaxed in genuine relief. She was for all the perfection she had been crafted with by my darling Sakura a child at heart, barely more than a newborn in the sense of magical creatures and that tended to show sometimes. With a nod I signaled her that that would be enough for today and that she could return to the book.

Standing up, I left the study as well, not really watching my way as I navigated through the large Daidouji mansion with the ease of someone who had grown up in the maze-like corridors. Even with all the additions and remodeling done to provide Sakura and lately me with a suitable environment for our respective magical profession I didn't really need to look to find my way, nor did I actually need to wonder about where to find Sakura – which was not always in the same place as one might expect. The short walk – relatively seen – gave me some time to muse about the recent memory. Remembering Sylphiel had become a lot easier lately, surely a sign that a meeting in this life was inevitable close. We had forged such deep bonds back then that they ought to reflect in this incarnation. Now, if we could just find her…

I actually found Sakura in our personal "living room". More or less the entire upper floor had been altered for us. While in our younger years we had often switched between here and Sakura's family residence, the room issue and other obligations had convinced the Card Mistress that it would be more convenient to stay here. I could very well understand that my girlfriend didn't want to leave her father alone at home now that her brother and Yukito had also moved out a year ago but it wasn't like we were on the other side of Earth after all.

An affectionate smile crossed my lips as I studied Sakura in the position I found her in for awhile, aware that she knew very well I was standing there. Spread out on her chest, she lay with her arms propped up and her chin resting over her folded hands, her reddish hair falling over shoulders and partially obscuring that lovely face. With soft steps I moved forward and slid next to her on the spacious couch. Tentatively I let one hand trail through the fiery, wild mane of hair and proceeded to bring it back into some state of order. "Enjoying yourself, Lina-chan?"

Sakura glanced over her shoulder at me with a knowing smile. "Hmm, I remember someone always telling me I should relax more." She paused for a moment before adding in a curious tone, "Lina-chan?"

"Ah…" I started not having noticed that reflecting on my past life experiences had once again rooted me to a different mindset. Not that either of us cared about the difference. There wasn't that much of a difference, at least not essentially. There where it counted, there was love, the only thing that truly mattered.

"Must have been intense if you're calling me that. I really should tell Memory-chan not to stir THAT kind of flashbacks too much," Sakura teased with a somewhat sultry grin that made me color just a little.

"Actually, it wasn't about you at all. It was… about Syl-chan and me." Sakura cocked an eyebrow at that. "I think after our… um, first time together."

"Oh," Sakura elaborated and was silent for awhile, obviously thinking back at that time which had been a defining experience for all three of us and definitely the start of something wonderful – if much too short in the end – despite the initial awkwardness. "Um…" Sakura started again, clearly uncomfortable now, "do you want to talk about it?"

I didn't need to ask what "it" was. After all "it" had began to affect our coupling recently as well. I understood from what Sakura told me about her condition that her excessive use of Chaos Magic and actually playing Avatar for the Lord of Nightmares – who back then was believed to be the creator of everything, Chaos personified – had a disturbing effect on her mana balance and triggered certain… needs in the young Lina Inverse who were as well sexual as they could get… aggressive when not satisfied. Lina had practically been drawn to those who presented a counterbalance to her Black Magic-orientated mana, thus people like me and Sylphiel who had both been trained as shrine maidens in White Magic, the natural opposite lore. Of course, that hadn't been all that had attracted Lina to us… and me to her. We had been young though and it took many years and experience to actually act on it. The way Amelia had found out about Lina's condition had been rather… disturbing but it helped that we all had been so much older then. All in all, everything had worked out fine and Lina ended up effectively stabilized physically, emotionally and mentally between the two of us.

Mind you, Sakura was by far not that unbalanced as her past life had been. She had a side to her mana that was a pure force of creation, opposed to the destructiveness of Black Magic. But some of her prior condition was showing in recent… ahem, more _kinky_ traits. Not that I minded all that much, rather enjoying some of her creative ideas, for Sakura it was obviously a troubling issue though.

"It's not like you can control it. And since you cast the Ragna Blade to prevent Pandora from breaking through the seal, you didn't have to cast any such magic," I assured my lover at last, having repositioned myself at the far end of the couch, providing a pillow for Sakura's head who had turned around to lay on her backside.

"But that's just it," the redhead argued with a dully pained expression. "I am going to do a lot of that stuff shortly the way it's going. I talked to Time and she says by now Pandora might be able to actually sneak a scout through and that puts us on a very tight schedule to find Syl-chan before her. As much as we try, it appears to be inevitable that there will be another battle and I won't be able to hold back then." I sighed contently when Sakura reached up to cup my cheek with one hand. "I don't want to end up hurting you, Lia-chan… I mean…"

I put a finger over her lips, silencing her with the gesture. "And you won't. You know I have faith in you. We'll find Sylphiel before her and then I'm sure we can recreate what we had before. You are not just Lina Inverse anymore, you are also Kinomoto Sakura, someone who mastered the Clow Cards and has the magic to create her own. Don't you think you can handle this now?"

Sakura smiled weakly. "One day I'm going to die – happily at that – from all that unconditional faith. It's just that I fear that I pushed open a door and this body – despite all my mental maturity – is not quite ready to deal with the full impact should I really do more than one casting… We both know what this one time nearly cost me."

I didn't need to be reminded and hastily leaned down to kiss the other girl, extinguishing all the dark emotions threatening to materialize in a strangling cluster around my heart. Sakura responded in kind to the passionate kiss, clearly just as eager to find more pleasing things than to remember near death experiences.

******************************

(Makoto)

It was a bright and sunny morning in Minato-ku, a premature spring day you might say. The weather was rather erratic those first weeks of the new year, going from snow to heavy rains, to cloudy indifference and now to a warm sunbath that seemed to be much to the joy to the many people going after their regular activities on the market on a Saturday morning. If all, those erratic weather swings only served to heighten the sense of disquiet I had lately. The feelings that nature fed me only got stronger and it was about time that a serious meeting was called on this. The only problem being that there was no real… cause, no particular problem to point at. It was rather much like the quiet before the storm. Nature tended to sense when something major was about to happen and reacted accordingly. The experience of this unknown _danger_ was slowly driving me crazy.

Not that my life wasn't crazy enough already. Thinking about that faceless-possible threat was only reminding further on my own personal problems. Things had definitely not gotten better between Minako, Hotaru and myself. Ever since learning of the child that we had unconsciously conceived, a sort of quasi routine had been established between the three of us. Neither of us spoke about the incident following our leader's revelation anymore. It was clear that Minako herself was vastly uncomfortable with her reaction.

Hotaru and I had made a point of visiting Minako regularly and supporting her as best as possible. But that had mostly been all there was to it. Minako did not reject the help when offered, obviously getting the point by now that we both felt equally responsible but neither did she especially ask for help. That did not only leave us at loss at how to react often but tended to get Minako in the one or other kind of trouble sometimes by overtaxing herself.

I could understand that she was feeling irritated scooped up at home, doing nothing. That girl had always been someone who couldn't sit still for a moment and the demands her body put onto her were proving to unnerve her to no end. By now she was showing heavy signs of the impending baby, much more so than should be the case in roughly the fourth month. As far as we were able to tell, pregnancy for a Senshi obviously went a little different, not to mention much faster.

The others had taken the revelations quite well – okay, aside from Michiru having to restrain Haruka from skinning Minako alive! – and I was seriously glad about it that neither of them tried to intrude too much on the already fragile _relationship_ between us. It was hard enough to deal with Minako at times but coupled with the mood swings caused by her pregnancy the task was one a kami would think about twice before taking! Minako's continued closure about the emotional issue was driving both Hotaru and me nuts. The little Firefly was often lost in thought and while our own relationship had not weakened, it hadn't progressed either. All in all, the whole situation was seriously nuts and I began to slowly doubt my sanity.

I moved along in the line of one of the food stands when a peculiar shout disrupted the normal bustle of activity on the market.

"Stop, thief! You are under arrest!"

I glanced up but didn't turn around, dismissing the incident right away. Stuff like that always happened. Senshi or not, if I'd jump in for any crazy burglar the police wouldn't have any work to do and I had by far much more important things to worry about when to give the distinctive familiar voice a hand in catching the thief. In fact, if it wasn't so silly, I could have sworn the voice sounded just like Minako's…

I whirled around sharply, causing those nearest to me in the line to back off in the face of the ferocity of the maneuver. My eyes scanned the area swiftly and encountered a cloaked figure moving away through the crow with speed and agility that went far beyond that of a normal human. Hot on the figure's tail was a blonde woman who, even over the distance, I had no trouble identifying.

"Minako," I growled and the few choice words that described my thoughts at the moment about my pregnant friend once again pulling a stunt like that made some of the other woman waiting in the line flinch in either sympathy or askance. I had left my place and was moving before most of the onlookers even registered what was going on. Vaulting over people's heads and slipping in-between the crowds I cut a direct course of interception for the cloaked figure. Quite frankly I could care less about the thief. I was mad as hell and I really wanted to give Minako an earful. But my pride wouldn't allow me to get away with letting a criminal escape on my account. So, figuring the fastest way to get Minako to stop and give her that piece of my mind would be to stop the thief, I crossed the last bit of distance, and threw myself into a flying kick that should have come close to taking the figure's head off. Of course I had intended to pull the strike at the last moment but I was too surprised when the thief actually DODGED the attack that came with a speed that should be impossible for anyone but a superhuman or seasoned Martial Artist to even sense! I sailed past my initial target and just managed to catch myself on the sunroof of one stand before crashing foot-first into it.

By the time I got both feet back on the ground, Minako had caught up, studying the cloaked figure – who made no attempt to resume the escape but neither of surrendering – with more caution, obviously having caught the evasive maneuver. The unexpected miss had rattled me enough to bite back my angry comment for now as I joined Minako but I could not help making a snippy comment. "Fancy meeting you here of all people," I said, giving Minako's outfit a side glance. "Dressed like a regular street cop no less."

The blonde had the decency to at least look chagrinned upon being caught. "Alright," she addressed the figure now. "I have you now, you'd better give up." Contrary to her threat she didn't move forward though and the figure seemed to sense that. Instead of answering there came a different kind of reaction, one wholly unexpected even though one could probably say, "Story of our life." Before our astonished eyes the figures seemed to waver, then distort into a shapeless cloud before reforming into… a shapeless mass. Actually it looked almost like a… blob? "Hah?" Minako stated intelligible, echoing my thoughts exactly. After a slight pause Minako finally rolled her eyes and quibbled, "Now really, five years of nothing and now… this?"

While I could not agree any less with that, I moved slightly in front of my friend. Casting a glance around it was evident that there were too much onlookers to safely transform. "Careful, we don't know what…" All at once the blob shape seemed to contradict before expanding again with sudden force, spraying grayish slime in all directions. I had only a split second to react upon seeing Minako tense and wince in the middle of taking evasive action. With the speed granted by my training and the dormant yet still formidable traits granted from Jupiter I managed to get us both clear of the slime. Suffice to say all hell broke loose on the market with people running hither and wither, trying to get away from the obvious acidic slime.

"You okay?" I asked Minako concerned. The blonde had her face crunched in a mask of barely controlled pain and the way she was gripping her stomach it was not hard to figure out the cause of her distress. "Baka, what were you thinking doing something so stressing like that."

Minako grimaced. "It wasn't supposed to entail super fast thieves that turn into ugly… well, whatever that thing is." I gave her a look that all but said there would be an accounting for this incident later. For now though I had something else to take care of.

******************************

(Hotaru)

You have to give it to the whims of fate. They always happened with the oddest timing as I had learned countless times before, not to mention very recently again. Right now one of those whims hit when I was halfway through the process of another test of my now fully-acquired – or reacquired – ability to create dimensional portals. I was so far gone that I might as well not have noticed the sensation if the prickling feeling of immanent danger was not so disturbingly familiar. As it was I paused almost a full minute, redirecting my focus on the Astral Plane in order to _listen_ to that curious and… old feeling. Old as in ancient, ancient as in a pattern I had not felt in roughly two hundred millennia, before the Silver Millennium, upon THAT time. And that which was Saturn in me, or better that which was Phoebe, reacted with a start that set all my senses on full red alert.

The transformation flowed over my body even as I was already racing the rooftops, following the distinctive pattern that I had picked up and praying to my ancestors – or better to other's ancestors since I was much to old myself in a relative sense to refer to anyone by that term – that I was mistaken.

Of course, I wasn't. What did you expect? Sure enough as I arrived in one of the markets I knew Makoto frequented – ESPECIALLY today –, sure enough there I found a mob of panicking people running around uncoordinated in an attempt that hardly was suited to term proper fleeing. And in the midst of that chaos were Makoto and… Minako – that made me stumble for a moment, before I willed myself to ignore the implications for the moments – confronting a form that if you really wanted to term one for such a thing would remind one of a jelly or maybe to put it simpler… a classic… blob.

Said blob was right now giving Makoto a lesson why exactly it was a thoroughly unwise idea to confront this creature without her Senshi powers… not that I said it was wise to confront it at all, especially not alone. My lover was learning that lesson at the moment, being unable to keep up, in spite of her quite formidable speed, with something that seemed so… harmless.

Of course that view was probably radically altered by my present and past life lovers as the blob – after sending Makoto to the ground – began to shape-shift into something more befitting its danger potential. The same grayish substance reformed into a only remotely humanoid figure, with a built much similar to that of a troll and hideous skull with one single eye and a mouth baring a row of fangs that would have impressed a werewolf. No doubt the giant claws on the massive _hands_ and feet were just as perilous to anyone who was foolish enough to make contact. And the fact that the creature did not hesitate right now to focus its attention on the two, at the moment rather helpless girls, I had no intention of renewing memories almost forgotten.

"SILENCE WALL!"

I thrust out the Silence Glaive and erected a force field just in time to absorb the energy beam that had come from the creature's eye without warning. With a leap I crossed the remaining distance and positioned myself between the other two and the hideous beast. "A seeker," I mumbled just loud enough for Makoto and Minako to hear, "And here I thought they were extinct by now."

Before I was able to answer my current lover's shout or explain anything, I had to spin my weapon in a whirling motion to block the second energy blast that curved around my frontal shield like a boomerang. _Kuso, forgot how resourceful those things are._ Turning the block into a thrust I managed to drive the creature back a little who was obviously wary of the Silence Glaive. That hint of knowledge and the way in which the Seeker had reacted to my mere presence was creating a sense of foreboding I was not quite ready to give any serious thought to in the current life or death situation.

"Stand back!" I shouted when I sensed Makoto advance behind me and at once sprung into action, falling into a pattern of carefully planned attacks that were as much to drive the creature away from my friends as it was to give me more space to move, not restricted to pose as a human shield. As it was I would have no chance standing up to the creature. They were as ruthless as they can get, even more so, and would not hesitate to use the slightest disadvantage against a foe.

The Seeker growled in a way that was purely unearthly, somewhat reminding me of the sounds an undead creature like a zombie would make but with a distinctive quality to it that made everyone whoever encountered their kind recognize this creature right away.

I let myself slip into my Saturn aspect completely, especially the oldest part of me that was Phoebe, the first Senshi of Saturn, knowing that only she had any idea about properly dealing with this threat. I was eternally gratefully for the intense training regiment Minako had insisted should be upheld because without the extra speed and agility I might as well have made close contact with those claws already and the possibilities of such a contact could be disastrous beyond comprehension should my nagging suspicion prove to be the truth.

As it was I was simply hard pressed to achieve a stalemate. The Seeker fought with a wildness that was truly bestial but still including intelligence in form of complex, tactical awareness that would prompt one to acknowledge a higher state of mind. Essentially that was what made them so hard to fight and suited their qualities as both scouts and assassins. Despite the initial appearance, they were highly intelligent and independent-minded when the assigned task called for it.

A flash of green caught in the corner of my eye and I suppressed a curse, sensing Jupiter charge up for an attack. Obviously the area had been sufficiently enough vacated for a transformation or my lover just didn't care – which would well suit her protective character. I would have rather liked them to stay back and evacuate with the rest of the people. Having no time to relate my reasoning on that matter though, I had to make due with the hand dealt to me and dodged down into a crouch, letting the lightning projectile soar over my head before springing into a back flip that landed me right next to Jupiter with my glaive poised for a follow-up strike. "SILENCE GLAIVE SURPRISE!" The orb of purple-black energy slammed into the Seeker just a moment after Jupiter's own attack had temporary distracted it.

"Think we got it?" my partner asked guardedly, obviously picking up on my reluctance to relax in spite of the explosion momentarily swallowing our assailant.

"Hardly," I answered, turning a hard look in Minako's direction who had been standing a bit to the side, henshin crystal in hand but clearly reluctant to act for several factors. I gave a shake of my head and a hard, reproving stare that broke no argument and the blonde almost automatically backed away. "They are not the kind to be terminated that easily," I elaborated further in reply to Jupiter's question.

"What exactly are we talking about here?" Jupiter inquired, shifting her stance as the smoke cleared and the Seeker emerged looking none the worse.

"Believe me," I said grimly. "If I had a choice about it, I would rather run now than fighting one of them under these circumstances. Unfortunately we have too much vast space for an effective escape. They are really…" Before I could finish that sentence the Seeker was in our face. I had been prepared for this but no preparation could really help when the enemy was so fast you could barely blink before it moved. Narrowly I managed to avoid a strike that could have resulted in possible lethal wound and just took the brunt end of a strike that would put shame to any boxer, lifting my body of the ground for a good distance before coming to a none to gentle stop. At any other time I would have felt touched at Minako's desperate exclamation but the fact that my nerves were assaulted with a temporary paralyzing numbness and that in fact Minako was the only one still standing with Jupiter on the ground to her other side, I silently resolved that we were in very big trouble.

Again, following the sometimes quite predictable whims of fate, something prevented us all from an early and most likely torturous death. And I could only blink in astonishment as I heard and saw what I hadn't in a very LONG time.

"FIREBALL!"

For those who lived in her time that word alone, heck, make that very element alone was almost instinctively associated with one owner should you have the delight – or in most cases the displeasure – of meeting its mistress. And Phoebe had known her on a quite personal level. And so while I could not make out any clear features when I first spotted the figure shadowed against the sun, I could see her aura, that while somewhat different in the course of reincarnation was bearing traits that anyone who had encountered the sorceress known as Lina Inverse and understood just a trifle about magic would recognize.

******************************

(Sakura)

"It appears they're in over their head," I commented, thinking just again how very funny – in a purely ironic manner – it was that we always ran into them when in fact we just wanted to find our missing companion. Really, how hard could it be to search one city – even as big as Tokyo – for one girl? You'd be amazed, really. And I was pretty sure even that she had to be near us but all our research had resulted in nothing and for some reason it was impossible for me to track her magically. It was almost as if someone was deliberately cloaking Sylphiel's reincarnation's presence from us. And that was plain annoying. Especially in light of the very thing I saw transpiring just below our vantage point from a low rooftop overlooking one of Minato-ku's markets.

"I just don't believe it. Of all the things she brought through, it had to be a Seeker," I grumbled, watching anxiously as one of the girls – probably a Senshi too – got thoroughly clobbered by the creature who wasn't even putting up much of an effort. It had to be just our luck that we'd run into them again right now. I had recognized Venus in the crowd by mere coincidence and that hadn't been long before she got involved with the would-be thief, eventually climaxing in the situation at hand.

"What's that thing?" Kero-chan asked. I was somewhat glad to have him with me once more. He had mostly offered to scout for Sylphiel's reincarnation lately and I had missed his company. Kero was feeling a bit neglected and well… useless as of late because my magical ability AND knowledge had far surpassed anything he could ever hope to teach me. He was still so very loyal and wanted to help out some way.

"Seekers are a mysterious race. No one knows for sure where they originate from and who or what exactly they are affiliated with for the matter. The name is probably not even what they call themselves but the one civilization gave them. They possess a lot of nasty abilities that go far beyond that of mere beast-man or other such meta-human creatures that lived on Earth in the old times. One thing is for sure, their primary tasks are scouting and assassination. They are like… well, super ninjas if you like. Just much, much more powerful. And they work as mercenaries for beings with power who'd have a use for their abilities, mostly who are unable to deal with a task themselves for some reason."

"You mean like…" Tomoyo trailed off. I looked at her grimly and there was not really a necessity to finish this sentence. I knew for a fact that there had been a lot of these creatures working for Pandora in the great war. And a Seeker was a natural hunter. If someone wanted a specific target eliminated or just simply found, then a Seeker would be the best choice. "Shouldn't we… um, help?" Tomoyo asked tentatively, shooting a worried glance towards the duo in the midst of the out of control mob.

"Right," I said. "A bit premature to make an entrance but we really can't let her get that lucky. Besides, I don't want that one after Syl…" I was interrupted as the Seeker below fired an energy beam at the two girls which was repelled by a barrier at the last moment. I watched with growing interest and a little surprise as a figure interposed herself between the Seeker and the other woman. "Phoebe?" I whispered, not having expected that turn of events but at the same time wondering why I was even surprised. I've seen her eight years ago, relatively speaking, after all.

I watched for a while as the new arrival engaged her adversary into combat and while I was too far away to make out anything in particular the fighting style was distinctive enough and the aura was so perfectly matched… She wasn't like Venus who was unaware of how much she resembled Peitho… scratch that, she WAS her rebirth down to the last detail, that much I had confirmed from Love. No, this one really was Phoebe and the aura was so active there was no doubt about it that she was quite aware of it. "Hmm," I mused, unconsciously chanting a familiar spell under my breath while Saturn and her companion got thrown around hard. "Stay here, Tomoyo." I could sense the argument and added in a voice that broke no argument, "This one's too heavy for you on your current level. Amelia in full possession of her power could have dealt with it but you are by far not at her level." With that I let the Fireball spell fly with sure and clear aim, following its path downward before either Tomoyo or Kero had a chance to respond. I cast a quick glance around, noticing that the area was pretty much vacant by now. All the other visitors of the market had evacuated which meant I could actually cut loose.

"Lina-san?"

I looked in the direction of the voice and upon seeing the recognition in the purple eyes gave a nod. "Phoebe. It is… nice to see you again." I turned my attention towards the Seeker who had by now managed to extinguish the flames of the Fireball. "Even if I had preferred the situation less troublesome."

Saturn gave a snort, struggling to get to her feet. "No kidding."

I gestured for her to stand back, seeing as the Seeker was ready to resume the battle and the two Senshi were in no condition to put up a good fight. Also, I knew that prolonging the fight would in most cases only resolve in serving to those creatures' advantage. They had a really high stamina and could take a lot of damage which left only a few spells at my disposal to effectively deal with them… None of them would be really kind on the surrounding area. "You'd better get clear. I don't intend to play with this one."

Saturn hesitated slightly while the taller Senshi was already keen on getting her revenge. "Like hell, this thing is gonna pay for…" She was cut off when Saturn dragged her and the still untransformed Venus away. I smirked at that, glad that Phoebe got the message right away. Then I stared for a moment because there was something very curious about those three. There wasn't just a strong connection between Phoebe and her designated mate but the other Senshi was also somehow in the mix. I was by far no expert on reading soul bonds, that was more Peitho's thing but as much as I could tell…

"SHIELD!"

Just in time I sensed the attack and activated my trusted defensive card, sending a glare into the Seeker's direction. "Hey, do you mind? I was getting to you in a moment anyway." There was a brief war between two minds, two sets of ethics. On the one hand there was Sakura who basically did not like to resolve to violence on principle to solve a situation. On the other hand there was Lina Inverse who, by definition, had been the very opposite of that principle in her youth. And while she had grown up a lot, she was never one to have qualms about unleashing her magic on those that bore her ill will. In the end Sakura won… sort of. since my own experience in my old timeline had shown me that being good and avoiding a fight, if possible, did not always solve matters.

And I really could not let this creature get away. Surely enough, it had run into the Senshi by mere chance and its actual target was another. If my guess was right – and it really took no great genius to figure out the actual target – then there was no way I could let this Seeker run loose.

_That's bound to get some really interesting headlines tomorrow_, I mused before beginning the incantation of a spell that was once as much respected as it was feared.

******************************

(Minako)

I had seen some things that would push a normal human being's mind on the verge of sanity. I had fought creatures and dark entities that slaughtered and instilled fear in whole civilizations. And yet I was unable to mentally and intellectually process the next few seconds. I was still trying to come to terms with the situation, a situation that, denial or not, I had a great part in causing myself. On some level I knew that I would get quite an earful about this later and I deserved it. But that creature had been insanely strong, to a point where Saturn and Jupiter together had both been almost beaten and all three of us almost met our demise if not for the interruption of the other girl. Said new arrival was currently facing the beast that my comrades had fought without much success, yet she radiated calmness and a confidence for victory that should really not be present.

I was in no position to comment though as I could only watch transfix while the redheaded figure began a strange chant that sounded Japanese to my ears but had an ancient quality and was laced with a force to be reckoned with. Even as the stranger began the chant, Saturn had already pulled us back with a urgency that I let myself be dragged obediently without even a thought of complaint. Far enough away, she erected a barrier of such strength that I was dreading to see what would prompt her to take such desperate measures. I would not have to wait long…

"_Tasogare yori mo kuraki mono, chi no nagare yori akaki mono  
Toki no nagare ni umoreshi idainaru nannji no na ni oite  
Ware koko ni yami ni chikawan  
Wareraga mae ni tatifusagarishi subete no orokanaru mono ni  
Ware to nanji ga chikara mote hitoshiku horobi o ataen koto o_"

The other girl had her hands cupped around a glowing orb of red power, radiating an unholy light of such potent destructive energy it made me shudder even from the considerable distance between us. And then, with two final words, the spell was completed and the authorities of Minato-ku would be at a loss to explain the source of the infernal explosion enveloping the market area just a moment later.

"DRAGON SLAVE!"

I had to shield my eyes from the intense burst of crimson light washing over the globe of Saturn's barrier with the force of a raging tsunami. I felt something tug at the edges of my awareness, a recognition that was similar to what I got from my past life sometimes. But that wasn't about my life as Princess Venus. I should presume that I would be aware of knowing someone who could pull of something like that. No, it was older, a figment of memory that I had been having quite a lot as of later, ever since the night of revealing my condition to Makoto and Hotaru. And not knowing what all that meant drove me to serious distraction!

Right now I was much more amazed and taken in by the scene of carnal destruction all around us when the smoke cleared and Saturn dropped her barrier with a groan of clear exhaustion. While my tactical mind dully took note of the level of control applied to the magical equivalent to a nuclear bomb – having effected ONLY the market area and leaving the surrounding buildings with only superficial damages – I could not help but being stupefied at the sheer power to the disposal of one human being and so young at that. "Oh shit," I accurately stated my initial thoughts.

"Holy…" Jupiter breathed, blinking furiously as if trying to determine whether or not her senses were playing a trick on her and I was sourly tempted to follow that example, not quite WANTING to believe the undeniable truth in front of our eyes. Saturn's words though managed to momentarily divide our attention.

"Hmm, that was a rather small one. Seems like her reincarnation isn't all that destructive." I blinked in stunned disbelief at that comment and I doubt it was necessary for either Jupiter or me to even ask what the outcome had been if the girl hadn't been – as Saturn put it – "all that destructive." I visibly shuddered at the implications.

"You keep interesting company, Hotaru-chan," Jupiter commented. The smoke had cleared by now and there was no trace of the creature, leaving just the cloaked girl standing in the center, slowly lowering her arms.

"You used to know her?" I asked dubiously, still remembering the spark of memory and for a brief moment curiosity got the better of me instead of the usual routine of denying those strange flashbacks. I really didn't need yet ANOTHER life impacting on me but anyone who could blow up an entire area was quite intriguing…not to mention a force to be reckoned with should she turn out to be less than friendly.

Of course it was too much to ask for just a few more months more peace, wasn't it?

"Hai, we used to, Peitho," Saturn answered, meeting the gaze of the golden-eyed girl directly as she turned around to face us. I was momentarily distracted by that strange and magnificent color but then Saturn's words began to filter through.

"Eh? What do you mean "we" and… matte, what did you call me just now?" There had been a powerful spark that I wasn't able to deny. A trigger of some sorts, similar to remembering Serenity's name in my battle with Adonis had ignited the memories of my past life on the Moon. This name was… it felt… right. A familiar sensation coursed through me, momentarily pushing away my awareness as Aino Minako before…

I violently pushed it back. Just like the dreams, the flashes, the madness of the last month and a half that was straining my sanity. I did not need this. I knew who I was and what I wanted of life. I had had enough weirdness to deal with already to add yet another one. I could control my fate! Usagi had shown us that we were not totally subjected to it and I wasn't going to be deterred from my path…

My mind snapped back to the present when I caught something on the edge of my perception and before any of us could react grayish… matter flowed together into a similar blob shape as the creature had been at the begin of the battle and the next instant it vaulted away at incredible speed, vanishing faster than any of us could even take a breath.

"It's still alive?" Jupiter commented in disbelief even as the cloaked figure launched into action and was gone after it – or so I suspected – the next moment. Saturn tried to call out to her but to no avail.

"Well…" I said after a few moments of silence. "That was interesting." I regretted drawing attention right away as I found myself on the receiving end of twin glares that didn't bode well for me at all. The two Senshi's transformations fading away, Makoto looked really furious while Hotaru was… indifferent, but in a way that was truly scary, a cold fury just lurking underneath the surface.

"You call that interesting? What the hell were you doing here?"

I shuddered slightly at the cold voice even while trained eyes took in the slight tremors of her body that surely were no good sign. Still, I felt compelled to even try defend my point. Those two were treating me like I was made of porcelain these last weeks just because of that baby. Their fussing was really getting to me. "Oh, for the love of it! Would you just let me do what I want to do? I can't just stay scooped up all day at home and do nothing! I need something to do or I'll go crazy!"

"So you go and get yourself a job with the police chasing thieves who turn into monsters," Makoto cut in dryly.

I actually flushed at that. It was true that I had called in a favor from Chief Sakurada but I thought it would be an easy thing. Only normal criminals after all. Nothing I couldn't handle with a minimum of physical exertion. "Hey! How was I supposed to know…?" My outburst was cut short rather violently and I actually staggered and fell on my rump, not so much from the force but from the sheer surprise of the slap.

Any question died on my lips the moment I looked up to see Hotaru's face just inches away from mine. My throat felt dry but not so much from the closeness and the curious myriad of feelings this sparked in me. No, the expression on her face was horribly mesmerizing and I felt my heart clench at the desperation and fear mingled with a few tears, all directed at me. "Baka…" Hotaru pressed out, her voice shaking with more emotion than I had ever seen in the dark-haired girl. "Who are you trying to impress with this recklessness? Can't you for once acknowledge that there are people who love YOU and who don't want to see YOU hurt. How do you think I felt when I saw you there, almost getting killed? What do you think I would have done, had I just been a moment too late… I… I…" And with an abruptness that shattered the thrall the storm of emotions in her eyes had held over me, Hotaru looked away, getting shakily on her feet. "I… I'll go find Lina…" With a glance in Makoto's direction who had followed all this silently with a surprisingly impassive expression, she added, "Take her home."

And with that Hotaru was gone and I was left sitting where I was, not really comprehending what had just happened. But one thing I knew for sure. I felt immense guilt after being on the receiving end of such an emotional outburst from the normally levelheaded Hotaru.

"Can't say I don't agree with her, Mina-chan. Really, I thought you said you know that she loves you – and that's actually putting it nicely. And there you go and do something stupid like that."

"I didn't mean to…" I started before trailing off and looking in the vague direction where Hotaru had vanished, feeling rather numb at the moment.

******************************

(Lisa)

Grumbling dark things about the unfairness of life I sat in my room, hunched over application papers from several renown colleges and universities. When I had sent all those out a couple of months ago after coming to Japan, it had been more a precautious move. I had honestly not expected to get explicit invitations from ALL of them. I really didn't pay much mind to my studies, a lot of things came naturally to me. I knew that other kids at my old schools regarded me as overly intelligent and the word "nerd" fell more than one time. I didn't care at all. School wasn't my true calling, neither was anything that my parents would have wanted me to become. I had other gifts that were worth exploring.

Therefore the choice in the end was already made the moment I opened the first reply letter. The all-grades school had caught my eye right away when I was looking for some place to take up my studies again which had been rather neglected in the last years. While I didn't like school all that much, I didn't want to fall behind either, I had enough good sense after all to realize that my future chances would most likely shrink considerably without some good grades. And Neo Infinity was just perfect. Frankly the public opinion was rather diverse about the "occult" school of "necromancers" or some of the milder critics had been worded. However, I was never one to listen to the opinion of others. Sometimes humans were only satisfied when they had something that they could take apart to their heart's content, the result not very much resembling the term "constructive criticism". I had made my own investigations and was pretty much certain that this one was just what I wanted.

Of course, Neo Infinity – as much as its predecessor from what I had gathered – demanded a high standard, accepting only those that were gifted AND who could uphold a stellar grade average, or so was my impression. Which meant I had to actually STUDY.

Not that my grade average wasn't enough. The problem was that I had missed a lot of school while traveling abroad, only staying in one location once in awhile that allowed me to apply to a school. I usually had a good grasp on things and could pick up new stuff quickly, yet the absence had left a couple of black holes in my general education that could prove a problem.

In short, I was frustrated with being scooped up in here for the last several months. Granted, I hadn't felt like indulging in my usual passion for adventure after arriving here. Events back home had left a scar on my soul that had taken time to even begin healing. And now I had to stick my nose in boring books whenever I found time between my usual chores and helping Babasan.

"My life sucks," I stated dryly, returning the stack of papers to their folder. I didn't even know why I had looked at them. Maybe it was a temporary spark of interest brought about by the fact that most of the other colleges and universities would not require that much preparation. Well, nothing comes without a price.

"That is a rather melodramatic opinion, Mistress." I glanced up, actually glad for the distraction as the opal ring on my right ring finger flashed and a wisp-like substance formed over it before materializing in a miniature version of the one… creature who I could call a permanent friend and companion in the last years. The figure was semi-translucent and resembled a winged woman with long light blue hair and a set of inhuman white eyes, blazing with both quiet power and wisdom.

"Easy for you to say, Soyo-chan," I replied. "You don't have to deal with all that stuff." I chuckled in spite of the pout I was intending, my mood considerably lightened already by the calming presence of the wind elemental. "I…" Suddenly there was a rumbling sound in the distant, sounded an awfully lot like an explosion. Moments later all that wasn't rooted to the ground shook slightly as an aftershock rippled over the Astral Plane and was effecting the physical world in the process. My trained senses took note of a vast power eruption just seconds before my vision blurred…

The images were familiar ones by now, as were most of the people shown. Especially the redheaded woman and the regal-looking dark-haired one with curious child-like features. This time though it was just images of the redhead, intruding on my mind despite my best efforts.

The scenes were hard to make sense of in the rapid fashion they blurred from one into another with not much direct connection. More like photos from someone else's vacation where you could only guess what was going on without having that someone describe the details. First where was the redhead and myself – or at least I suspected it was me – facing off with a dark-haired… child who for some reason sent shivers down my spine as if the boy was the very devil in disguise. The redhead shot a powerful, destructive beam of crimson energy at the child and a few moments later I did the same.

The scene changed and I saw the same girl basked in a golden aura standing atop a piece of rubble and then ascending towards the heavens.

The next one seemed to be in a setting resembling the room of an inn and I watched in fascination as the girl and my other self seemed to discuss something heatedly – I really wished I could actually hear them talk! – and after some time I advanced on the nervous redhead who seemed to be torn between the instinct of flight and submitting to whatever was to come. Eventually the latter happened and the string of… well, whatever it was ended with the conclusion of seeing myself and the other girl locked in what was soon to become hesitant foreplay…

I came back to reality with a start and was sure I could actually feel the heat from my cheeks. Some of those last images had been rather graphic already and… "Gah!" I exclaimed. "I really need to figure this out." I turned around to see Soyokaze floating next to the window, her head turned towards me with a concerned look. "Are you alright, Mistress?"

"No," I stated bluntly, shaking my head to clear the sensation of dizziness usually following those experiences.

"I take it then, you had another flashback?" the wind elemental asked with a note of sympathy in her voice.

I could only nod in response. This was getting beyond frustrating. I had by now figured out that the flashes and dreams most likely were hidden memories of a past life, my training in several spiritual aspects told me as much. I had them for awhile now, on and off over the last four years, actually ever since that few months I had spent here at the shrine during my travels. Something happened then, I had FELT it. Something had changed and that change had unlocked a hidden part of my being. Ever since then I had tried to figure it out, even gone so far as meditating on those memories and consciously drawing them forth. However, that had been denied to me for reasons even Soyokaze couldn't figure out. It was almost as if something was dampening those memories and that was why they only came in incoherent, incomplete flashes.

Getting up I walked over to the window and glanced out. I squinted my eyes at the fine smoke that came from the direction of one of the market areas of Minato-ku. Then I opened myself to the Astral Plane and focused upon this area. While not nearly as good at that as many others I had met, even those with a limited understanding of magic could pick out the remaining traces of something rather dark and purely destructive in nature. I whistled slightly at the potency of the magic unleashed just seconds ago.

"Yes, quite impressive. I wonder who could command such forces in this age?" the Sylph mused.

"That I would like to know myself," I responded, silently resolving to myself that I would get to the bottom of this. It was time I took a more active role with those memories since sitting around and meditating on them was not likely to get me anywhere closer to enlightenment.

******************************

(Minako)

The trip back home was spent mostly in silence for which I was eternally grateful. My belly was demanding attention from the unexpected exertion – alright already, overexertion – and Hotaru's actions were still hauntingly present in my mind, invoking strange feelings that as much as I tried to ignore them were leaking guilt and shame to my mind. I had never seen Hotaru that angry and the scary part was that it felt more like Saturn resorting to such an emotional outburst. The cold, collected, always dutiful and focused Saturn… I was fairly sure that would have even given Pluto pause if directed her way.

I was sincerely relieved when I could finally sit down and relax my body that was more tired than I had calculated from the activity. Okay, granted that hadn't been the smartest idea I ever had but I had not expected something like this happening. My first days after getting the job from my old friend had been rather eventless, regular and mostly minor crime not proving to be not much of a problem for someone who usually tended to focus her attention and abilities on supernatural creatures. It was of course just my luck that I had to met one of those in my line of duty at exactly the time when I was spotted by Makoto…

"What do you think that was all about?" I broke the silence after a long time, accepting the cup of herbal tea from Makoto without resistance, knowing by now that such a notion would be futile. I took a sip and let the warm, carefully balanced liquid fill my being and relieve some of the strain.

"I'm not sure. Something has been in the air for some time now," Makoto said quietly, more to herself than actually addressing me. I was not dumb enough to debate the point anyway. Despite everything that happened I took my duties seriously and while I had not Makoto's bond with nature or Rei's spiritual abilities, my senses were honed and sharp. And the brunette definitely had a point in saying that something was clearly amiss. I think everyone of us had picked up on this in their own special way.

"However," Makoto said sharply, sitting down opposite from me and fixing me with a look that as much said that the temporary peace was over and there was going to be trouble for me. I shifted uncomfortable under the emerald-eyed stare that I felt unable to completely ward off with resolve alone. "Do not try to change the topic here. I'm sure Hotaru-chan will get to the bottom of that business. You though, young lady, you have some explaining to do." Makoto crossed her arms and waited expectedly.

I gave a long sigh of resignation. "Alright. What do you want to hear? That I'm sorry? That I know how stupid that was? Believe me, I can feel the idiocy of my actions right now." I winced slightly at a particular sting and took a few more sips before continuing.

"But is it enough to prevent this from happening in the future?" Makoto asked sternly with an expression that as much as dared me to respond in the negative. It was that tone of voice that… that… aloofness, the way both her and Hotaru were trying to direct my life as THEY thought was the best way that managed to rally my own temper, greatly enhanced through my pregnant state.

And so I once again fell into the familiar pattern that usually only ended in unintended hurt feelings to sort out later. "Would you stop patronizing me all the time? It's my life to do with as I see fit. I just can't do nothing all day long, that's not my style and you of all people should know that, Makoto!" My voice rose with each sentence and while on a detached level I was aware that I was digging my own grave deeper and deeper with every moment, I couldn't stop. "For the past month you have been constantly fussing ober me. I can barely do a single thing by myself before one of you is there and takes it away, at once assuming the task is too straining for me. I am not made of paper tissue, you know? I can very well care for myself…"

"And we know that," Makoto interjected calmly, which only served to further infuriate me since the part that was fed up with how things progressed lately was actually seeking a verbal confrontation to vent all those pent up feelings. "We are not trying to dictate your life but pregnancy is a serious thing and unless you want to give the kid up – which we have agreed on is not an issue – then you have to take more care of yourself. Hotaru and I love you very much and in spite of what you are…"

I didn't let her finish as an indefinable urge rose up inside of me that contained all the frustration, helplessness and absurdity of the last months that had turned my life upside down and left me wondering what exactly was what in my existence. My values and outlook on life had been seriously rattled and I had no idea how to properly deal with all this. Combined this complex web of emotions served to let the one thing slip from my lips that I knew was as much a gross denial as it was the most heartless thing to say in this situation. "Love?" I snorted. "Right, do you even hear what you are saying? For Kami's sake, you both declare that you love me and at the same time you manage to maintain your own relationship. Do you realize how stupid that sounds? And I don't know why I should feel bound to you because of that. I happen to know what love is and this whole farce is the furthest away from it that I…"

My rant was brought to a stumbling closure when Makoto stood up so suddenly that the two cups on the table shook, coming dangerously close to spilling their content – which I am not sure I would have even taken note of. My brunette friend emitted a low growl from her throat and I could detect the faint spark of her battle aura barely kept in check. "Don't. Ever. Again. Belittle. Our. Feelings." There was the sound of thunder rolling in the distance but I was too transfixed by the sight of almost seeing tears slip from Makoto's eyes that I paid much mind if my senses were just playing tricks on me. "If you want to stay in your delusion and rather cling to the notion that you have to force love to come to you rather than accept it when offered, please go ahead, I am not stopping you. But if you one more time as much as speak ill of what I feel and especially of what Hotaru feels about you, you WILL regret it." I was unable to reply in the face of such fury, different from the emotional reaction of Hotaru earlier, more forceful and direct. "You think you don't need us?" Makoto turned around sharply and strode towards the exit. "Fine! Let's see how long it takes you to come crawling and begging for us to help you!"

And with a finality that made me jump Makoto slammed the door to the living room behind her. Several moments passed and then the distant sound of the front door fairing not better than the previous one finally managed to kick start some brain activity and with that, the fire in me pretty much extinguished by now, the realization of what just happened began to fully register.

"Baka!" I cursed, the term not directed at Makoto but at myself. I punched into the soft material of the couch which yielded easily, much to my further frustration. I clenched my eyes shut and tried to push back the tide of emotions threatening to overwhelm my mind. Burying my head into various cushions I fully intended to sulk in my self-made misery for awhile.

******************************

ca. 200002 BC, close to the rise of the Silver Millennium ()

Saillune, capital of White Magic. The entire city was build on a node – a nexus of realities – and shaped like a magic circle, thus intensifying holy energy. Mazoku or other such creatures who fed upon negative emotions found their powers considerably diminished. Not so much as to totally ward against the more powerful but enough to create a certain unease. During and before the Resurrection War – or as commonly termed the "War of the Monsters' Fall" – Saillune was renowned for the concentration of shrine maidens that could pull of a holy spell as good as any Golden Dragon. This tradition had continued but the Holy lore was lost since the war of the war. The god-sealing field and the millennia that elapsed since then had reduced the famous shrine maidens and other White Magic practitioners to a mere shadow of their old selves.

The holy ground stood firm and protected the city and to a degree the surrounding country through even those dark times and now, upon the threat of something even far greater a menace to the world – and not only the human society at that – Saillune stood once again firm, like a shelter in the raging storm outside its walls. Several factors were responsible for that state. For one, the god-sealing field was gone, annihilated along with Hellmaster Phibrizo and Chaos Dragon Gaav at the hand of Lina Inverse and her friends. The other reason was also because of those courageous band of teenagers, or young adults now, mainly the triad regiment that had been established over the last few years. It had been a long road for the young Queen Amelia Wil Tesla Saillune. Almost overnight she had to don the mantle of the ruler of one of the biggest kingdoms known on their continent after the – to everyone's surprise – successful assassination on her father Philionel. However, with the support and love – as was common knowledge even though never officially stated – of her friends and comrades Lina Inverse and Sylphiel Nels Lahda, Amelia managed to establish peace between most of the various kingdoms, dukedoms and whatnot on the continent. She became a very beloved ruler by the people, as did her companions. A loyalty and faith that was now as much encouraging as it put a particular pressure on the rulers.

_A rather weird arrangement_, thought Lady Phoebe as she stood with her own delegation facing the royal trio in the courtyard of the definitely magnificent – but not excessive – palace. _Not that I can't see the affection._ The dark-haired Phoebe glanced to her left to the see the taller blonde woman on the other side of the flanking position they maintained for their younger charges. Lady Peitho sensed the gaze of her companion and soul mate and at once shot back a smile and a hooded gaze that was pretty much openly suggestive. _That's what you get for getting involved with the Senshi of Love_, Phoebe mused but turned her attention back towards the upcoming meeting.

If one did not know that there was a far greater amount of pure souls that were female and that those were more adept in harnessing and understanding their given powers it would probably seem odd to any casual observer. Seeing as both main groups facing each other were mostly of the fairer sex. On the two Senshi's side were the two younger woman – barely out of adolescence – in their center with their distinctive hair colors of a deep gold-blonde and light blue bound in similar odango styles. And then there was the tall blonde woman of course, in her white robes she stood a couple of centimeters higher than even Lady Peitho. At her side was a young boy, maybe a decade or a little more old, who had green, somewhat spiky hair and seemed to take in everything with a curiosity and intelligence that appeared to be more than a boy his age should possess.

On the other side there were, of course, the three ruling bodies of Saillune. The (in-)famous Lina Inverse was garbed in red and black robes that were neither overly ceremonial as they were casual, her orange-red hair was longer than Phoebe remembered the various rumors and myths tended to describe, bound in a ponytail that fell just a little over her shoulders. On the other side was Sylphiel Nels Lahda, who was supposed to be the best human healer the world or at least this continent had ever seen, with the rediscovery of the Holy lore her skill had actually increased or so Phoebe conceived from a brief analysis of her aura. She wore a formal attire in a curious contrast of white and black. In their midst was the dark-haired Amelia, probably one of the youngest Queens Saillune had ever seen but radiating a quiet confidence and firmness in her beliefs that made her the kind of popular ruler she was today. Instead of the traditional white of Saillune royality, Amelia had chosen a light bluish garb that reflected her competence in all three magic categories but especially the spiritual lore. It was hard to believe that the kind yet still regal appearing woman was said to be somewhat of a klutz preaching the kind of beliefs that a lot of Saillune's royals were (in-)famous for and had earned the one or other ridiculing comment in the past. Looking at her now, Phoebe saw a mature woman, hardened by the trials of life, that had maintained a refreshing kindness.

So it was to no great surprise – at least not to Phoebe – that Serenity, the young blonde woman in their midst, moved forward and instead of a series of formal greeting, bows and diplomatic compliments, her and Queen Amelia met in the center, waiting only a heartbeat, before Serenity extended her hand with a smile. Everyone who didn't have a good grasp on both sides involved or a good skill to perceive an individual's natures face-faulted at the young woman's manner of greeting. "Hello, I'm Serenity. It is nice to finally meet you."

Almost without missing a beat, Amelia took the offered hand and shook it. "And I am Amelia. I am glad to finally meet you as well."

Phoebe shared a private smile of affection with Peitho, while Serenity's sister, the blue-haired Tsunami, just shook her head in good-natured annoyance. Out of the corner of her eye, Phoebe could see the tall blonde woman, the (former) dragon priestess Filia also form a smile of affection and with a note of knowledge which was not so surprising given that she had known both of the young royal heirs. She noticed though that Filia's gaze seemed to linger on Lina Inverse for a moment with a touch of sadness before returning back to the situation at hand and the following greetings and introductions that were not as formal as some might have expected.

******************************

Present Time (Hotaru)

The moment of our first meeting had been a peaceful and relaxed one in a situation that was anything but. Frankly I wondered if any of us would have met without the world – and pretty much the whole universe – being in jeopardy from the mad_woman_ who had come from practical nowhere, raining terror on the worlds. Peitho, the Venus of this era, and I had had some warning of her arrival but not nearly as much as we would have liked. The two of us together with our young charges, the orphan princesses of a destroyed kingdom, Serenity and Tsunami, had lived in a valley high in the Kataart Mountains where a mixed tribe had formed throughout the last years and if not for the menace that came over the unsuspecting Earth we might have never met with the three girls and their associated friends.

The memories came back to me full force. Not that they were forgotten or something, but right now they were even more present. The war that ensured for our very survival had ended in the birth of the Silver Millennium but also had caused many sacrifices… including Lina Inverse and her mates. They had been the key elements for an ancient seal that was supposed to hold the creature known only by the aptly name of Pandora. Supposed to.

As I raced the rooftops, pushing back the sudden swell of emotions I had shown in front of Minako, I could not help but reflect how much elements seemed to fall into place that supported my theory, a fearful theory at that. Usagi was so much like the first Serenity, as was Minako. Then there was Sasami who I could not help but hazard could very well be Tsunami – either reborn or in some other way. Rei's young charge was definitely shielding herself well, making it hard to confirm that theory but in effect only supporting it at the same time since there were few people who could elude my senses as long as she did. And now there was the Seeker, a favorable minion of Pandora in what we dubbed the Revolution War. If that wasn't enough though, Lina's incarnation showing up when she did made the vague fear a very close possibility.

That wasn't not much of an improvement in the line of thinking compared to my own love life troubles.

Somehow I wasn't even surprised finding myself near the center of the Infinity polder and close to the school. I could have hit myself for not realizing this earlier. I HAD seen that girl before. More in passing than anything else but still… She was the student head of magical lore as far as I knew. I was specializing in different areas and thus had not that much to do with that wing but I could swear that she pretty much always was in the company of Infinity's junior partner, Daidouji Tomoyo whose mother had helped to found the entire project. _Great, talk about being oblivious._ I had never paid them much mind, especially, seeing as we had a strict anonymity policy, and while I did help at times, Setsuna managed the applications.

Levitating up to the top of Neo Infinity my analysis was proven by finding not only Lina but also Daidouji up there, looking as if they were expecting me. Once again I wondered why I had never noticed before but while outwardly with some vast differences, Daidouji bore many of the spiritual traits of Queen Amelia… _I suppose it's just the situation and the many factors combined_, I mused as I touched down on the roof, the wind whipping up my hair at this high an altitude. _It's not like you usually go around looking at people and guessing whose incarnation they might be._ I chuckled lightly, managing to break the silence that had elapsed for a few moments.

"What is so funny, Tomoe-san," Daidouji asked, not at all disapproving but merely curious.

I hardly blinked as I replied, "Oh, just thinking about why I never realized who the two of you were even though we hardly see each other, Daidouji-san…" I hesitated while turning a look in Lina's direction. "I am afraid you have me at a disadvantage. By what name do you go these days?"

"Kinomoto Sakura. But just Sakura will do since we are all familiar with each other here… after a fashion." She smiled slightly and I joined into the private joke that helped to further alleviate the tension. Not that I had the feeling this was going to be a permanent condition for very long. As if in answer to my unspoken question, Lina… Sakura sighed. "The Seeker got away if you are wondering about that. We lost the trail around this area, must be the node."

"I was having doubts myself if it was such a good idea to rebuild the school in the same location. While the zone has been cleansed, it is still containing high potential that can have advantages for just about anyone," I thought aloud. "But enough of that. Would you like to tell me what is going on? I have an idea already, however, I'm not sure I want to voice it before I'm entirely certain – as I am sure you can best understand."

The two girls traded a look before Daidouji spoke. "We very well can and we are sorry to confirm your obvious suspicions. It is indeed Pandora who is trying to break through the ancient seal and she's closer to it when we would like."

Despite being prepared for that answer I could not suppress the shudder. All who had ever faced this creature would know why even the Senshi of Silence was reacting this way. Even before I could voice an objection or ask for details, Kinomoto was taking over the conversation, providing me with just that.

"I am not sure you are familiar with my work, so I make this as short as possible. A couple of centuries ago there was a great sorcerer named Clow Reed. He created a rather innovative kind of magic through the use of cards that bound various elements or even physical abilities. The Clow Cards are in fact rather similar to an elemental spirit in nature if you want a simple explanation. In doing so, Clow unknowingly tempered with forces that he could not perceive." At that Lina's incarnation held up two cards to my inspection with the particular names "Love" and "Silence" written on them. At first I did not fully comprehend but when Sakura explained further, I began to understand the unpleasant reality. "Clow bound part of the power that made up the outer layer of Pandora's seal which you and Peitho provided back then."

I gasped, grasping easily what that could mean but Kinomoto continued before I could make my displeasure known – not that that was necessary. "Clow was unable to undo the damage, so he put the cards back into the seal in a steady orbit. Yet, the flawless state of the layer was lost and Pandora was eventually able to break free of the seal roughly a few weeks ago…"

I'm pretty sure my heart had stopped for a second there before Amelia's present self interjected smoothly, "Relatively speaking that is. You have to know that Sakura here actually lived her childhood twice. She returned from her ordeal in a different timeline, one where our ancient enemy has already escaped, in order to fix things."

_Returned from her…?_ "I think Pluto is going to have a fit if she learns about this," I commented dryly, getting over my momentary shock. I didn't even want to know what would happen if that monster had truly been released already. In the state the Senshi – especially Venus, Jupiter and I – were now she'd eat us for breakfast. Dreading what was yet to come I fixed the two girls with a look of steady resolve – though underneath that mask I was more effected already than anyone who knew me would suspect. "Go on."

******************************

(Artemis)

At this point, I decided for myself that this had continued long enough. I had observed those three for the past month, never making as much as a comment on the situation. It was not my place anyway. But the sight of my charge on the edge of emotional exhaustion was killing me on the inside, literally. Almost a decade of partnership was a long time even without adding several more in a past life to it. The emotional bonds between us were tight, probably tighter than between Venus and me in the Silver Millennium. And I should be damned if I refused to be there for Minako in a situation like this because she grew up and seemingly doesn't need me anymore. That was nonsense. Anyone needed someone to lean onto sometimes, to allow their masks to fall around them. My problem was, I didn't know exactly how to give any good advise in that matter. Frankly, I believed that the only ones who had a chance of helping Minako would be the two girls from whom one of them just left pretty angry…

Oh well, nothing gained without trying. Not wanting to startle my charge I opted not to shape-shift and instead remained in cat form while making my way up to the couch and the huddled form of misery there. Making my presence known I nudged Minako gently and when that failed to produce any reaction at all, I frowned. Not one to give up easily I nudged a little harder with one of my paws. The blonde just grumbled something inaudible and shifted slightly away, not giving any other acknowledgment.

Getting annoyed by this display of unresponsiveness I growled low and waited a moment for a reaction. After that failed to produce one, I bared my sharp teeth and bit down on one hand.

"Youch! Artemis, are you crazy?! What was the big idea, you want to render me completely useless?" I sat there and let the following rant fly right over my head. Actually the whole thing was kind of nostalgic, considering that we hadn't one really messy fight or argument in the last couple of years.

"There's nothing left to render useless anymore," I replied matter-of-factly, putting just the right amount of cynicism and subtle challenge into it to provoke exactly the reaction I wanted… at least if I could draw conclusion from the reaction of my neck hairs standing on end as if they had been electrocuted.

There was a moment of silence, then an expression I had almost wondered I would ever see again in the near future crossed Minako's features, just before she asked with a dangerous edge to her voice, "And what exactly is that supposed to mean?"

I feigned innocence and obliviousness while mentally preparing myself and tightening all my muscle for the inevitable physical exertion that would follow. "Oh, I dunno. Just that the way you are now, you are a completely worthless mess of a leader who couldn't even lead an army of babies… Oh wait, you are getting one yourself, so you can't even fight properly and… Eep!"

"ARTEMIS!!!" an enraged woman's shout rang throughout the manor and the chase was on. I was in motion the moment Minako first lounged for me and used the long hallways and many rooms to my advantage as I did the most sensible thing and tried to keep ahead of the furious, raging blonde woman who right now didn't even show a sign of her physical condition. All the depression and melancholy was washed away to be replaced by vivid, fiery rage, the need for revenge, punishing the offending furball… or something along that line of thought. But underneath – as I could see in a brief moment – there also was a spark of amusement, a genuine… gladness. Subconsciously Minako knew exactly what I was doing and as much as she might want to sulk, I always had had my ways to pull her chain. Even by things she wouldn't even react to said by others. It was part of our special relationship, the partnership between us that was as close as a brother and sister might be, if not more. It was that relationship that made it impossible for Minako to resume her lethargy state, at the same time giving her an excuse to let go for a moment. Something she hadn't been able to do for a long, long time.

I knew of course that despite the adrenaline rush, Minako's pregnant state wouldn't allow her to continue with that much longer and so, cutting back to our starting point, I eventually slowed down, submitting myself to the unpleasant fate of finding myself dangling upside-down from my tail in front of Minako's face who looked about ready to something really nasty to poor little me.

"Why you…" Minako started but faltered when I let her see the little, silly grin I wore, her expression contorted for a moment before bursting in one last exclamation of fury, "You made me do this!" And not shortly afterwards my charge burst into uncontrollable giggles, flopping down on the couch, unable to keep standing or remaining her hold on my tail for which I was immensely grateful. That girl had a strong grip, I tell you…

Waiting until Minako had calmed down again after a full minute or so, I watched with an expression of smug satisfaction that served to send her in another fit just upon seeing it. I smirked again, rather pleased with myself. If Luna had been there right then, she would no doubt make some sarcastic comment. Not that she'd really mean it.

"Feeling better now?" I asked, more serious but not able to completely hide the amusement from my voice. I jumped up to sit on the backrest, glancing down at the blonde who lay spread out and to spend out from chasing me around the house for several minutes and then laughing herself to distraction. "Seems you are not that much of a lost case after all."

"Meanie," Minako grumbled but didn't bother to hide the affectionate smile and the gratitude shining in her eyes. I wasn't so naïve as to believe that this would completely cure her. The idea here was to take Minako's mind off of her problems for a little while and providing her with an opportunity to let go of that self-control she was chaining herself with lately. "I'm gonna tell Luna about that."

I flinched. "You wouldn't?"

Minako smiled wickedly. "Try me."

I gulped visibly and then made my comeback. "Then I'll tell her about your little escapade on the market today."

The blonde's expression darkened visibly. "That was low." I hoped I didn't go too far with that one but seeing Minako's mood turn more solemn while refraining from slipping back into melancholy I figured she might be ready to talk now. Or if not… I had some other methods in reserve to make her! "How did you know about that anyway? We didn't actually say anything specific."

"I was in the communication center, checking some things," I replied, adjusting my own attitude to serve hers. "I don't want to lecture you here since I'm sure you got the point already that you messed up big time there." To that the young woman grimaced but didn't comment, silently agreeing. "So tell me then, what is wrong with you recently?"

I think she almost laughed at the question but eventually it came out more as a snort. I could hear several different comebacks on the tip of her tongue but neither of them made it out since Minako knew without even a conscious thought that she couldn't dish me some no-nonsense crap. "Do I really need to tell you?" was what Minako finally retorted, stating the simple fact that it really wasn't necessary for her to spell every syllable to someone who knew her better than her own family – not that this would be a grandiose accomplishment.

"Maybe not. But maybe it'll help, admitting it to yourself," I said softly.

"I doubt that." Minako paused for a moment and I half feared she would leave it at that and not budge on the point here. I fixed her with a stern gaze and didn't let up until she sighed heavily. "Alright already. Let's talk."

******************************

(Makoto)

My mood definitely hadn't improved since leaving the manor. Upon coming home I had immediately sought out the small room on our floor that had been cleared for a meditation/training room. It was sort of a favor from the owner of the apartment block. I've been here so long, we were practically on a first name basis these days and when he found out that I was taking serious Martial Arts training he had promptly cleared some space in an old storage room that was barely used these days anyway and served no conscious purpose whatsoever. Normally I wouldn't even use it myself. Most of the time I was either doing my katas in the morning on the balcony or just regulated those activities to Senshi or my usual Martial Arts training sessions.

There were, however, occasion where I needed to relieve some build-up stress or I needed some quiet space to meditate, then I would come here. The chi flows were cleansed through earlier visits and thus the small room had obtained a kind of purity that not only aided in concentration but also did it absorb negative emotions like access anger and frustration.

Motions flowing into each other it didn't even matter that I was physically exhausted from the brief battle with that abnormally strong creature. The katas weren't forceful or truly straining. Martial Arts was just what it said, an art, a dance that was teaching the body to move in perfection, brought to the height of its abilities and beyond. The motions weren't fast but they weren't slow either, perfectly coordinated, achieving an inner harmony that was supposed to calm the mind and bring things into focus.

There were a lot of things that needed to be brought into focus. The argument with Minako had left me helpless and angry, angry at her for making me worry so much and then saying the things she did, but also angry at myself for reacting the way I did. It was childish. I let my anger get the better of myself. True I never was as good resolving a situation with words as I was with fists, but I had actually prided myself with having become a lot calmer over the years, especially around this tight-knit group I was honored to call my family.

I had known Minako for so long. We had done a lot together in-between crisis. Everyday stuff, normal things teenager our age did. Shopping, watching movies, planning parties. Minako used to be such a big party girl. She still was whenever she let herself. But those instances became less and less frequent in the last years. I thought I understood part of the problem but now I wondered if I ever truly did. Still, there was no need to overreact like this. I knew what demands life was putting on her right now, both self-induced and beyond her control. It pained me to see my friend and not-so-secret-anymore love make herself miserable with struggles she herself probably knew were useless on a level. I never was the emotional expert either and so I had trouble talking about it which often produced reactions like the one just now.

Surprisingly enough, Hotaru – quiet, shy Hotaru – was far better at rationally unraveling emotional issues. It had been her who had taken the first step towards our own tentative relationship, an action I wouldn't have dared for a very long time, if ever. It had been her who had come to get Minako to accept – at least in some small way – our help. That was what really made me furious anyway. Hotaru was making so many sacrifices for Minako, enduring indifference and annoyance at the offered help she really didn't deserve. The blonde's comment had briefly overridden every control and drew out reactions I regretted now. Hotaru would have handled that one better, she definitely got Minako to think with that slap however unconventional and unconscious it had been. I could clearly see how much those two fit together, opposites that matched perfectly without antagonizing. Minako had never really gotten angry or out of hand with Hotaru while this was by far not the first argument she and I had in the last month. And Hotaru always seemed to know just how to calm our mutual love interest down and make her see reason.

I more and more felt that despite what Hotaru said – and I was not so shallow to believe that her words and promises were false – I wouldn't find a place in between them. Hotaru and I were a temporary thing and I wasn't sure if it was such a good idea to intrude on them when the Firefly finally succeed in bringing Minako around. That she would succeed, that was almost beyond doubt…

The other thing was that I was worried sick about Hotaru which had only helped in further frying my nerves. For once Hotaru was already pretty distraught after learning about Minako's latest stupidity but what even further worried me was the signs I had picked up during the battle. Hotaru… no, Saturn had been very cautious with the creature, much more so than was usual. I mean, we had faced down entities that were in fact far stronger than this – admittedly considerable tough monster – but Saturn had always been the cool one, barely ever letting an emotion slip in the face of abnormal, mighty and overwhelming evil. But what I saw was coming so close to actual fear I could almost believe that had really been the case.

And I doubted it was simply the creature. The creature – a Seeker she had called it – had worried her, that was for sure. But there was something far greater going on, something about the entire situation seemed to have fallen into place for her through the combined factors of the monster's appearance and the arrival of the redheaded mage – or whatever she was – who obviously seemed to know Saturn from somewhere. I had heard that name she used before, from Hotaru. I knew it was Saturn's birth name, the original one. The one from the era when she and the first reincarnation of Venus were…

_All we know is that something ancient is coming._ I couldn't help but think back on Michiru's statement from the birthday party when I had briefly spoken with her and Haruka about the shifts in the winds and nature at a whole that were bothering me. For some reason I couldn't shake off the feeling that Hotaru had somehow suspected something, some minor details coming together to form a greater picture that neither of us – save Pluto maybe – could comprehend. And it scared her. It scared Sailorsaturn, the Senshi of Silence, the one who could destroy and revolutionize entire star systems with three words and a stroke of her glaive. If that wasn't something to truly worry about when I didn't know what was.

I hadn't realized I stopped in my motions until I felt a tentative hand on my shoulder. As I turned I came face to face with a set of purple eyes that both relieved me but in the same instant created a new level of anxiety seeing that the level of subtle concern had actually increased there. Those eyes looked much older, even for the usual ancient quality I came to expect from Saturn's gaze. These eyes didn't look only old as in ancient but more like old as in lost in memories, troubling memories, and with a certain note of tiredness in them. It was plainly apparent that the talk with her friend – assuming they were – hadn't gone as expected. Well, maybe as expected but definitely not as hoped for.

"What are you doing here all alone?" Hotaru asked quietly, her eyes boring into mine, tearing apart every excuse I might have used. The concern for whatever information she had acquired was briefly covered by an intense expression that as much said as that she knew exactly something had happened between Minako and me. Hotaru knew well enough that nothing short of serious frustration would bring me here.

Surprising myself I acted instead of saying anything first. A desperate anxiety had built up in me ever since I had watched my lover leave, following the stranger, and the exercise hadn't calmed me enough to bring peace to the whirlwind of emotions inside of me. Grabbing her by the waist, I pulled the startled dark-haired girl against my body in a kiss fueled by all my worries, anxiety and frustration, deciding that I had to work all that out of my system first before I said some things that I would only further regret later.

It would be much later before I finally got to talk about the argument or haggle some information out of Hotaru myself.

******************************

(Hotaru)

It was late the following evening that I decided to take more direct action in this situation that had quickly grown over our heads. Makoto was out training. I had had to almost literally squeeze the details of her argument with Minako out of her after several hours of intense lovemaking. I had virtually no idea where my brunette lover took the energy from after the events of the day AND training for who knows how long until I found her in the spare room that had been offered to her for those purposes.

I knew immediately then that something had to really have bothered her, beyond all that what I knew must have been already on her mind. My own departure surely hadn't helped things but seeing the need for release in the emerald eyes that moment I did neither resists nor was I one to complain about what followed. Mako-chan had been much calmer afterwards but still reluctant to part with the events that followed after we parted company. She seemed more embarrassed and guilty by the whole thing than truly annoyed or angry. Yet, I could see that some of the things exchanged did hurt her. And despite being moved by Makoto's protective attitude towards my feelings which had sparked the irrational bout of fury for Minako, I realized that the situation had come to a state where something more drastic had to be done.

The conversation with and the revelations made by Sakura, Lina's reincarnation, had left their mark, unsettling me deeply to a point where I was even contemplating pushing the issue of the relationship between the three of us. Under any normal AND abnormal circumstances I would never force myself on someone, least the one person I had loved so long ago and whose absence had left a deep void in my soul that only recently had been filled by Makoto's tentative compassion. But the news of this unthinkable horror once again being released upon the unsuspecting world resulted in a quiet yet rock-firm resolve that this drama could not continue the way it had. There had to be a way to make Minako see just exactly what we felt and to push through those barriers she had put up against any kind of real, emotional love. The subtle hints were there. The blonde had made it clear so far that she didn't despise the night that had been the catalyst of the current events and a distant hope had settled in my heart that maybe over time she could come to accept this weird-seeming arrangement and come to love us as much as we did love her.

But she was hiding her feelings, denying herself from giving into them more than just through the barest hint, the slightest motion that I doubted even Makoto had picked up. Minako was so much like Peitho though that they shared a lot of things in common that made it easy for me to interpret the tiny nuances of her nature without much trouble. It had been so similar at times that I couldn't help but wonder if for some weird twist Minako really was a perfect incarnation of the Venus I had known and loved for a lifetime and long beyond that in my heart. Truly matching souls. As rare as they were.

Sakura had all but confirmed that theory through the spirit of the remodeled card that had once held Peitho's energy as a part of the ancient seal. And since I didn't believe much in coincidence, especially not so many at once, the truth was pretty much a fact. The truth that Minako really was my long lost soul mate. That realization had for a long time left me dumbstruck and unsure what to do with that knowledge. It wasn't like that changed everything. Minako was pretty much unaware of that life – perfect matching soul or not. Maybe she had had some memory flashes lately as Sakura hinted at which would explain some of her behavior in the past that I previously had been at a loss to explain. I couldn't expect her to love me just because of that. Usagi and Mamoru didn't love each other just because they had in a past life and were destined to be together. From what the others told me, they had fallen in love even before knowing about their fate and reincarnations.

Just thinking about Pandora and how helpless the situation seemed to be, judging that if the seal was already weakened there was little to be done against a possible release. It might only be a matter of time. I shuddered at the thought. Sakura said they were looking for Sylphiel's reincarnation but it seemed like her presence was hidden from them and that alone only fueled the trepidation that this unholy monster was already a step ahead of them. And should even one of the seal children fall, it was bound to turn into a downward spiral of chain reactions that would be impossible to stop anymore. THEN it would come to another confrontation. And the way we were right now, none of us was truly ready for a challenge the size that made Galaxia look like a grasshopper compared to a giant.

Firming my resolve by calling back to mind all those factors I prepared to exit the apartment and make my way over to the manor when I practically ran into Minako on the doorstep. Looks of mutual surprise crossed our faces at the realization that for some reason we had had pretty much the same idea if probably for different reasons. Minako looked really uncomfortable and I could tell that the fight with Makoto was probably – no, make that most definitely – on her mind.

At the reminder of that event I finally managed to break the uncomfortable silence, schooling my features into an unreadable mask. "Come in."

Minako complied hesitantly as I stepped aside and slipped back out of the coat. The other woman did the same and then followed me back into the main living area of the tiny apartment in silence. She stood uncertainly before I motioned her to sit with which she complied as well. I could see the emotions warring in her face, the battle between either putting up a fight or just relenting. This would be harder than even I imagined… or so I thought until Minako's opening question that cut through the heavy air like a knife through butter, making me revaluate my opinion. It was going to be MUCH harder than I originally believed.

"Who is Peitho?"

I didn't answer for a long while, contemplating my answers before settling for the blunt truth. My intention for tonight remained the same and maybe it was even better in some way that Minako came here and not the other way round. "Peitho was the first Venus that was ever born to this star system. She was also Lady Phoebe's, the original Saturn's, hence my, soul mate until we were separated through the events of a long and brutal war that cost many sacrifices on all of our parts." I couldn't help but let the bitterness that rose up within in me slip past the usually emotionless mask of Saturn. That was something even Saturn couldn't hide from or fake indifference towards. It was impossible to deny the pent-up feelings of loneliness and frustration that had gathered in the course of two hundred millennia in which I had not set eyes on the one person that had ever truly completed me.

And Minako obviously picked up on those emotions if the insuring silence was any indication. "So that is why you love me then." The words were spoken softly and if not for Senshi hearing I doubt I would have heard then. A wave of new emotions flooded through me and I couldn't suppress the laugh, that was hard and lacked any kind of amusement.

"Do you really think me that shallow?"

Minako flinched, turning her head away and unwilling to meet my intense gaze. I became annoyed with the continuing avoidance of direct eye contact and stepped around the table and in front of the blonde girl to confront her.

Blue eyes hesitantly turned up to look at me and blinked in obvious shock. I had dropped any and all pretense of hiding the true depth of the feelings inside of me. Feelings both bottled up from my life as Peitho as well as Hotaru's and I think she got the distinction and the true deepness of those emotions.

And I saw something there that I had not been sure yet whether I was imagining or just grasping onto straws in the hope of a revival of what was lost to me lifetimes ago. Hidden, carefully protected more than a fortress guarding all the treasures of one world. And I slowly began to understand. I began to understand just what had to be done and in that moment my mind was finally set on that one path that might bring a change for the better in this situation.

******************************

(Minako)

Losing yourself in the depths of someone else's eyes, completely swept away in a flood of emotions, leaving you breathless and submerged in strange sensation that wrecked your body. I hadn't experienced that look since… since… Had I ever? I thought with more than a touch of remorse. Had I ever truly experienced this kind of affection, this kind of LOVE that I was seeing there in the dark-haired girl's eyes? Well, maybe I did, on that night that none of us clearly remember. But other than that, I admitted to myself in a moment of unguarded honesty, this had never happened to me before… A very sad thought indeed.

The effort was considerable but somehow I managed to tear my gaze away from the younger – yet in many ways so much older – girl's. I hadn't actually planned this the way it started. I had actually come to apologize for my behavior and talk about this rationally. The talk with Artemis had left me shaken, unprotected. I couldn't hide from him. As much as I tried, I couldn't. It was an impossibility, a paradox that could not be. And he had known it very well.

"So you deny that you love me because there's a special attraction between those like us? Because it is easier?" I had intended to throw Hotaru off for a moment, in order to rebuild my deeply fractured composure. Artemis had told me that it was not uncommon, that it was indeed EASIER for those who had bright star seeds, pure souls. They attracted each other on a basic level. That did not necessarily mean this was limited to Senshi alone. Endymion was a good example that not every person with a pure star seed was to be a Senshi. Artemis said there were many kinds of pure souls and not all of them were even Sailor Crystals.

I was surprised that Hotaru didn't seem to be affected at all by the accusation. There was a potent calmness that unsettled me somewhat. "No. Minako, love is never EASY. Attraction is easy, yes. You can get attracted to many different sorts of people and still you would never come to love any of them. To truly, unconditional love someone it needs more than basic attraction." She turned and stepped over to the window and I wasn't sure whether or not to be relieved of being not submitted to that penetrating gaze again. A part of me actually cried out in apparent loss and it was growing harder to shut this part out.

"So, you are suddenly the great big expert on love. Tell me, Hotaru-chan, what do you feel for Makoto?"

There was a pause in which I stood up and joined her next to the window. Then Hotaru spoke she once again surprised me with the resolve in her voice. "I love her… or at least I'm almost at the point where I could say that. I know what you are trying to say and yes, our relationship started out mostly from loneliness and compassion. But I've come to really love her."

"And you love me at the same time or is that just Phoebe loving Peitho?" I knew I had worded that pitifully in my outburst yesterday. I had not meant to belittle their feelings but I couldn't help but truly grasp this strange mix of feelings the two girls displayed towards me and at the same time each other.

"Both actually. Minako, I AM Phoebe." I opened my mouth to question about that, the seriousness and unshaken belief behind the statement shocking me. "And why is it so hard to accept that I could fall in love with someone else at the same time? But this isn't really what you want to know and what is the problem here."

I sighed and licked my lips in anticipation, knowing that I couldn't hold that back any longer. I hadn't even told Artemis about the dreams that had become so much more vivid lately but the events of the day and Hotaru's admission demanded an answer, and that answer was demanded now. "Okay. You ARE Phoebe," I conceded for the moment, "As much as I am Peitho?"

Hotaru turned towards me and I did likewise, trying to match her stoic resolve with my own, not backing down or relenting as I found myself doing so often in the presence of the younger girl. "Does it matter? Does it REALLY matter?" Hotaru whispered and I became very aware of the charged air around us. The tension that had built up throughout the conversation – that on the outside actually appeared to be calm and rational – had almost reached the climax and I dreaded the inevitable eruption.

"Yes, it does matter!" I shouted, becoming slightly more furious when Hotaru's expression didn't change as she stood calmly, letting me once again fall into the rhythm I was as much familiar with as I despised it. "It matters because I can't stand this anymore. I don't know what the heck is wrong with me or why I am acting like a complete idiot whenever we come to this point. I tried, Hotaru-chan, I tried so hard to accept all this. My fate, this destiny we've been placed inside, beyond our control. And you know what, I loved it, I still do. When Artemis came and revealed to me who I really was, my life suddenly had purpose. Nothing had really challenged me up to then. And then, just like that, there was suddenly a mission for me, something that I could devote my whole attention upon."

"And you deny yourself REALLY loving somebody because you think it would interfere with your duties. You think you can't be our leader and protect the Princess anymore when you let yourself fall in love." I was so shocked at the casual revelation of the silent, untold truth that was kept in my heart that I stood speechless for several seconds at Hotaru. Not able to even begin to grasp how she had figured that one out. I hadn't even meant to say so much in the first place. The words had just come spilling out in a wave of anger at the situation, the endless whims of fates and maybe at myself as well. "I think Makoto was right. You do make a pathetic leader if you continue denying your very nature."

That managed to snap me out of my stupor and I surrendered once again to the burst of heated emotions hidden inside for so long. "How can I? How can I remain in control when I let myself fall in love with someone? I would devote my attention on that person and forget about my duty, I would make the decision in their favor should there ever be one to make and I… I…"

The desperate grasp for words to explain all those tangled emotions inside of me was brought to an abrupt halt with the force of a sledgehammer. I was subconsciously impressed by the strength in the younger girl but was too busy with Hotaru's sudden action of fusing her lips on mine to think about it. I was caught off guard and unable to react at all under the shower of deep, penetrating, lingering kisses, full of hunger, desire and a loneliness that had long needed to be satisfied. The onslaught was so furious my body was left to respond on autopilot as my mind was swept away in a swirl of emotions too strong and too irrational to comprehend by normal thought processes. My arms and hands had a mind of their own as they went around the smaller form, seeking some form of hold under the unrelenting kisses. And where at any other given time I would have struggled, would have pushed Hotaru away, now I simply drew her closer, moving backwards with her advance of passionate aggression that washed away every defense I could ever have put up.

I didn't even know how we ended up in the bedroom. I only noticed that fact, briefly emerging from that otherworldly place I had been carried away to when my feet hit the edges of the bed. Hotaru pulled away a few centimeters and her voice was husky and laced with clear lust and longing that didn't need to be spelled out to convey their meaning. "Just let go," was all that she said before moving in for another kiss that contained the same force as the previous ones and managed to tumble us completely over so that we would eventually end up on the bed.

I belatedly wondered if I came here to provoke this. To provoke any excuse of letting go of that tight control I had put my life under ever since becoming a Senshi. Acting had helped to give me those moments, helped to provide me with the possibility to completely lose myself in something. That was okay. Those moments were just for the stage. They couldn't end up hurting anyone I cared about or… hurting myself.

Those were about the last coherent thoughts before my mind shut down and I let myself fall, for once not caring about consequences, about what was tomorrow, about what might happen after this night. Hotaru made it impossible to do otherwise and maybe that truly was what I had wanted all along. I couldn't do that for myself, I couldn't let go all under my own power, I couldn't seek the fulfillment the lonely girl inside of me craved like a hungry beast. For now, I could just leave myself in the moment and enjoy it for what it truly was. And that part of me that had been neglected so long sighed in tremendous relief and at the same time cried out in relief, devoured the loving passion sent her way with an equal hunger, resulting in a manner of sexual interaction that would have been hard for many to believe and hard for many to even duplicate. Not even speaking about the surviving part. It was Senshi mating in its purest kind. How I knew, I couldn't tell, I just knew, and that was enough for me at that moment, my rational mind having taken a blissful, long needed vacation.

******************************

(Makoto)

Returning home late from training I was pretty sure I had worked out even the last bit of anger and frustration from yesterday's events. Saotome-sensei hadn't complained about my unscheduled appearance. If one thing he seemed to know exactly what went through me at such times and tended to come up with just the right kind of exercise that could let me burn out that excess energy, emerging clean and with my perspective put back into proper perspective.

That state remained to be that way for all but two minutes. That is the time it took me from letting myself in and into the bedroom. There was no indicator that really prepared me for the sight that awaited me when I planned to silently check on my lover who obviously had gone to sleep early. That happened sometimes and considering that today was Sunday and tomorrow there would be school again, I wasn't all too surprise about the lack of a greeting. I might have suspected something had I paid attention to the extra coat or the not all that unusual state of disarray parts of the living room – especially those that lead up to the bedroom – were in. But I was kind of tired myself and so didn't pay that extra bit attention, thus sending me in a state of dumbstruck stupor upon seeing the two forms on the double bed – which we had kind of moved together after moving our relationship up a notch –, comfortably snuggled under the covers. The taller blonde had her head resting on my lover's chest, heaving quiet and content breaths that spoke of rather recent activity – and a pretty heavy one at that.

I felt a brief spark of jealousy, a flame of anger rising from the already extinguished and swept away ashes as conscious thought was overridden by snap judgment and the most logical thing that someone was supposed to think when they found their lover with another in bed upon returning home.

However, we were all but normal. Our relationship was anything but logical at most times. We began a tentative affair because we couldn't have the one woman that we both wanted and loved, came to love each other on a level and found in the process that we had gotten the same woman pregnant in the course of some crazy-sounding drunken night of loosened inhabitations, aided by a magical device that originally wasn't even intended for that purpose. No, normal was not the word that you could describe our relationship with.

So, I pushed away the initial emotion all but tearing it apart with firm resolve. If it had been anyone but the blonde woman, my fellow teammate and leader, they wouldn't have even survived until this point. That much was for sure. But that was Minako. And judged by the strange chain reaction of events lately the shock was quickly overridden by a barely rational sense of relief.

I felt one… no, two sets of eyes resting on me and stared back silently, intently searching blue and purple eyes for something that would speak against the opinion I had come to in the space of the few moments I stood there. Finally I crossed my arms and pretended to be more than just a little angry and hurt. "Well, you two obviously had fun without me. Maybe I should go back from where I came and stay the night there."

Hotaru didn't even bat an eyebrow, catching onto the pretense and the appreciative glimmer I let show in my eyes for whatever she had done to bring Minako into bed, more or less willing, quite sated and content with herself. "Are you going to stand there all night? We have been missing someone here and you let us waiting long enough."

Minako lifted her head and I almost stumbled under the seductive leer unlike the in-control woman she had been for so many years now. There was a playful twinkle in her eye, a sure sign that whatever walls she had put up around herself were apparently torn down and taking a long vacation for the moment. "Not that I would like to have your girlfriend all for myself for a bit longer."

I huffed, quickly covering the surprise upon seeing Minako so unguarded and not withholding her emotions. "You'd like that, wouldn't you?" I reached behind me and closed the door, basking the room once more in the night's shadows that were still bright enough for a Senshi's vision. Even before the door fell into place I had begun to discard my clearly unnecessary clothes.

It was a long time later before physical exhaustion claimed its victims and I found myself silently appraising Minako's stamina considering her condition. The child in her was growing rapidly, much faster than during a normal pregnancy. Technically she was now almost four months along but it was definitely close to six actually. Interesting enough outwardly Minako appeared more like she was in the beginning of her second month. The expected bulge of the belly was absent for the most part. There was some explanation for that but I usually tended to blank out whenever Ami went into a scientific – or whatever you wanted to call it in this case – explanation. Hotaru seemed to understand and that was enough for me. And at the moment I felt too comfortable in the blissful state of afterglow. The tension and abstruse situation created between us over the last month had come to an explosive release this evening. At a point and time I had really not expected, nor had I been prepared for this possibility upon returning home.

_Insignificant details_, I mused from my position behind Minako, arms wrapped firmly around the blonde while one hand had come to rest on Hotaru's arm. My lover lay on the other side of the young woman who right now was visibly fighting to retrieve her bearings, not too mention her breath. Not that either of us was fairing any better.

"That was…" Hotaru started, the first coherent words spoken for a long time.

"Definitely better than not remembering any of it?" I supplied with a small grin tugging on my lips and an inquiring look into the presently closed blue eyes of Minako. Those eyes fluttered open and blinked against the deep stare for a moment before a sigh escaped her lips that was very hard to really define. It could have been happiness and contentment but it could also have been regret or doubt or… well, a lot of things. Given how much of an emotional roller coaster all of us and especially Minako had been put through of late, that was hardly surprising. "I must agree." Minako managed a grin that faded into a solemn look almost immediately. "That was… incredible, but I can't…"

Hotaru seemed to instinctively know what was coming and moved slightly to hush our pregnant lover. "Shh, you don't have to say it. No conditions here." It took my still detached mind a moment to catch up on the meaning and slowly I managed to come to acknowledge that I had obviously come to the correct conclusion during my training session. And obviously Hotaru had as well, somehow managing to act on that knowledge. Once again I felt a spark of insecurity and envy, wondering once again if I would truly have a place in their midst in the near and distant future, but I shushed it away, not wanting to disturb my mood.

Tightening my arms around Minako, I moved my head a little closer to hers and added, "We'll be here for you, waiting. As long as you need us to." Subtly tensed muscles relaxed almost immediately and another sigh, this time of clearly evident relief, echoed through the darkness.

We stayed that way for a long while each of us was feeling too good to break the silence and the cocoon of love and fulfillment that had enveloped us in a motherly embrace. For once in those hectic last months we had achieved a phase of peace and true harmony. This was far from over. Minako had let herself accept a part of what we were offering but she wasn't yet ready to share all of her feelings yet. That was okay though. Tonight had been one victory in the course of eventually winning the war. Who won that war in the end and with what exact outcome remained to be seen. For now, all those questions were hovering outside that protective sphere of momentary peace that would hopefully help us through what still lay ahead of us.

******************************

February 20 (Tomoyo)

Neo Infinity was a bustle of activity. Not surprisingly, considering it was the end of the semester. Mind you, this was the first year since the school's completion – or better rebuilding – and compared to the vast size of the tower that, similar to the original one, reached up to the thousandth level, the number of students was tiny. Still, Neo Infinity had despite the fate the old one suffered found a very HIGH number of willing, young people who wanted to apply. The fact that Tokyo was in fact THE magical nexus on Earth was more or less proven by the concentration of talented young minds with various most amazing gifts.

I had jumped at the chance when we heard of the rebuilding and Sakura had expressed an interest. Often enough I was left feeling so entirely meek and insignificant to my mate's role and superior knowledge. Nowadays, with the added memories, she could pull of feats even many students in this very school would find hard to believe. Sure, I was supposed to be some top-notch mage in my past incarnation as well and hey, I wasn't one to question or doubt that, not with the memories I had already unlocked. No, that's not it. I had pretty much gotten used to that change in our life. Even the little detail that I had been a QUEEN in my former life which threw me for a loop when I really let myself think about it. No, from that end I had no need to feel meek compared to Sakura. It was just that she did all the important things. I wasn't jealous or envious of that. But I always had wondered if there was some BIGGER way that I could really make a difference. The feeling wasn't consuming since Sakura made sure I did know my infinite worth. We both knew our places in our relationship by now but yet we never settled into a routine, never lost that special touch that would make us do practically everything for the other's continued happiness.

And so, when Meiou Setsuna, adoptive mother of the daughter of the former owner, had searched for benefactors and sponsors I had not hesitated to, for once, take the initiative. Okaasan wasn't even really surprised when I made the request. I had inherited my own share of Daidouji industries and no doubt she had hoped for me to at some point take over the business. However, our lives – Sakura and mine that is – had changed so drastically that Okaasan didn't even put up much of a protest when I request to use my share as a sponsor. She was quite adamant about helping out herself but I managed to talk her down. Maybe it was purely selfish, yet for once I wanted to be. This was MY contribution to OUR life together. And I could not help but feeling satisfied at seeing how very well the school in roughly one year had turned out.

Since the sponsored money had pretty much covered and supported half of the project I was now pretty much a co-partner in this. A role I never was really pushing. Meiou-san was a good principal/owner and far more experienced than I could hope to be. And the fact remained that I still was attending my last year of High School as well… in my own school! Hey, how's that for a weird setting? So, the junior partner part was kept pretty much in the dark and remained a silent agreement between the older woman and me. As far as the public knew I was the "anonymous benefactor from Daidouji Industries".

I think pretty much eighty percent of the student body knew anyway…

Spotting my query in the entry hall, I pushed my way through the crowd. It was ironic that we never really realized how close we were to each other. Granted, my memories were still fragmental, I didn't really act as the technical co-owner for the appropriate reasons and Sakura was busy with her own classes and hadn't had found that much time to take a look at the administrative staff or something like that… So, okay, maybe we had just missed each other for pretty much a year. As dumb as that sounded considering that I DID remember some things of Phoebe rather early on and we were practically as close to OWNING the school when any of the other students could say. I WAS the (semi-)anonymous junior partner and Tomoe Hotaru was the daughter of the previous owner as well as the surrogate one of the current one.

"Hey," Hotaru greeted upon spotting me. "Sorry about not showing up yesterday. I… um… kind of overslept and well…" Was she flustered? I took a closer look and had to suppress a teasing smile. She was. Obviously whatever had held her up had to be more than just oversleeping.

"I take it you have been reconciling with Peitho-chan then." Not a question, more a statement. And judged by the brief flush on the other girl's face an appropriate one. "I am glad. You said there were some… difficulties… and well, from what I remember you used to be such a sweet couple that it would be a real shame to not revive it."

Hotaru's expression turned somewhat somber and her eyes were momentarily downcast. "Let us just say we… found a temporary agreement. Minako is… difficult. She's a lot like her, yes. And even if what you told me is true, there is still a difference. The merging between me and Hotaru was far more easier than for the others. While I entered the rebirth cycle myself I never really DIED, you understand?"

For a moment I let the words settled into my mind, processing them and comparing the message to our own situation before nodding slowly. "Yes, I believe I do. I probably can only really do when I fully obtain all my memories but if it is anything remotely close to what your friends and teammates had to go through, I think I do understand. Sakura told me that she would and could never really be Lina again. She has the memories and can choose to draw and act on them but that's all there is, a sort of pseudo presence created by the knowledge and experience of a different lifetimes." A couple of years ago I would have probably only understood half of that but now, being in more or less the same situation and with far more training tied into it, I could speak of those matters with a much firmer confidence in not making a fool out of myself.

"For Minako and the others it is pretty much like that. But I – and Pluto – we are still the same person. My case is a little special since I am also Tomoe Hotaru."

"Oh," was all I could reply to that and the bell signaling the near start of classes interrupted any further comments I could have come up with. "Look," I said in order to get my original intent across before we had to part company, "There probably are a lot more questions both you and Sakura have. She wanted to meet you some time during lunch. Is that okay for you?" With a slight twinkle in my eyes, I added, "Or do you have other plans?"

Hotaru shook her head, with a calm and collected seriousness I remembered well belonging to her Senshi aspect, recalling it from my memories of Phoebe. "No, that is fine with me."

******************************

February 28 (Sakura)

The classrooms of Neo Infinity were not as you would expect them of such a modern-looking building. In fact there were enough examples where you wondered if you had just stepped through a time portal. Neo Infinity was taking great care by creating the right atmosphere for the various fields. The right biological environments for para-cultural studies, sterile and save rooms for science and other such studies, the right setting of medieval, traditional or modern for the various fields of magic… A lot of those were very magnificent displays of harnessing dimensional magic. Sure, most of them were just very complex illusions but it was still impressive.

I had done my fair share in the magic wing, the cards had literally jumped at the chance of being creative. I couldn't help but smile fondly at the memory. Things had changed so much over the last years, ever since the incident with the Seal Cards. I had devoted a lot of time of readjusting my body to the old arcane magic by reflecting on the old memories. Then there was Tomoyo who needed teaching which only further rooted us in that cycle. And, of course, the major reason. Sylphiel. It was frustrating. Years spent without having found a trail. Her presence was close by now, that much I could tell, but somehow I couldn't put my finger – figuratively as well as magical – on it. And knowing Pandora I dreaded to think about what could happen to the rebirth of the gentle shrine maiden that had been so close to both Amelia and myself. I believe Tomoyo is worried too, even though she tried to not show it for my sake. However, my mate had accepted that part of our shared destiny with surprising ease, no doubt courtesy of her own memories, and was indulging in the search as much as I did, sharing my concerns quietly.

All that had somehow made me neglect a lot of things lately. Kero for example who had always been a great help and advisor but whose knowledge paled to the memories of Lina Inverse. I was glad that we had that family meeting last weekend with everyone present. It was a time of recuperation, recuperation from the burden that was weighing on both Tomoyo and myself now. The burden of knowing that a battle would begin shortly that we only had an elusive grasp on, with only the faintest glimmer of hope that it could be prevented. There were times I deeply regretted having pulled Tomoyo into this but remembering just how insistent and supportive my lover was on the subject and the ties of fate between us, I knew that without her, I would have given up a long time ago. I definitely couldn't have faced all this again, not without her. Once had been enough already and now, for her sake, I would do everything to ensure that a repeat of those events would not come to transpire.

Coming out of my momentary reflection I realized that the period was almost over and I would definitely look foolish being caught dozing off while lecturing… Well, okay, the other students were reading a paper I had handed out and thus that had given me time to think a little. The semester was almost finished and most tests were done already. Compared to the normal studies, the paranormal wing was not so much grade-orientated as it was success-orientated. The goal was to teach the students to understand their individual skills or the topics they were researching better, to ensure complete knowledge of not only fact but also comprehension of what was learned. This was part of the strict selection process of Neo Infinity. Not everyone was taken who had some form of skill or dormant talent. The principle was to raise students who would eventually help to make the world a better place and not abuse what they learned here. And there were no exceptions tolerated.

This resulted in a very unique style of teaching. Actually the procedure was not so much of a single, advanced professor – or more accordingly mage etc. – to stand in the front and lecture. Classes here were often more a sharing platform, a community where skills and knowledge of various paranormal aspects were presented not only by official teachers but also by the respective students, especially those that already had a rudimentary or higher understanding of their abilities. Students of all different ages and grades at that. Those classes that made up the other half of Neo Infinity's schedule were universal, spanning all grades and only dividing in levels of maturity in the student's talents.

"I think that is enough for today. Read those papers at home and we finish this session next week," I dismissed the class. You would be surprised actually. The atmosphere was much more relaxed than in a normal school and that in turn also produced a higher level of concentration and participation. Practically all those that were here WANTED to be here, really wanted to. And that helped enormously. There was nobody who didn't want to learn and thus the study atmosphere was probably the most perfect any school had ever seen.

And so it came, that you almost ever had a good handful of students lining up at the end asking various questions. I endured it all with somewhat satisfied patience. I never had seen myself much of a teacher. Sure, I had thought about it when I was younger – the first time around –, seeing as Otousan was a professor on a university himself. There was a difference about thinking about it and actually standing in front of an entire classroom – not mention as a senior in High School yourself... Lina's memories hadn't helped there much either. Although she had helped training Amelia in some more advanced fields later on and possessed a vast mystical knowledge, there had been several reasons why she chose to become a traveling mage instead of studying and eventually teaching at the guilds.

About a couple of minutes later I was done with the questions and had just about finished packing my own things. This was my last class today and I was eager to meet up with Tomoyo, our paths not having crossed today as often as usual. I didn't even see the figure approach at first and the hesitant voice was so soft and low I almost didn't hear it at first.

"Excuse me?" As I glanced up halfway, finishing in zipping my backpack, something pressed against the core of my awareness, something distinctively familiar about the voice though I could have sworn it didn't belong to any of the normal students. That wasn't that suspicious since some lectures were open for the public. Okay, not for the public but for those who were interested in application or to give those selected an idea about the general way of things here. Yet, there was something so hauntingly familiar about the voice that I finally gave the girl in front of the desk my full attention.

I almost fell over in complete, utter shock.

Purple hair, long and unbound. Green eyes reflecting a gentleness and quiet strength – but also something… darker, I distantly noted. The garb – as was traditional for Neo Infinity coming to class in the appropriate clothes – that of a miko. The physical attributes matched pretty much perfectly. Perfectly. It was like the analogy I had pondered at the beginning about stepping right out of a time portal.

I knew beyond a doubt, with a crushing certainty – not to mention a good dose of disbelief at the absurdity – that it was HER.

"Ano, are you okay, Sensei?" the girl asked, snapping me out of my perplexed trance. "I just wanted to say that I enjoyed class today and look forward to studying here next semester."

My lips moved more on autopilot, my mind too busy trying to wrap itself around the impossible coincidence. Almost four long years we had been searching and now, here, right before my nose she stood. There was no doubt about it. The spitting mirror image, the very incarnation of our lost mate, Sylphiel Nels Lahda.

"Ah yes. I was just, lost in thought. What was your name again?" I asked, a part of me knowing fully well that as happy and grateful as I felt right now, this girl did not know about any of it and this matter had to be dealt with carefully. And there was NO way I was going to let this chance slip out of my hands again.

"Lisa. Lisa Whiteligher desu," the girl replied then a thoughtful expression crossed her face and it was apparent she was very worried for some reason. _So much like her_, the thought passed through my mind and I corrected myself right away. _No, exactly like her. I can't believe this._ I had expected changes, just like with Tomoyo and me. But this girl, Lisa, there was practically no superficial difference in appearance. "Ano, I hope you don't take this the wrong way but… Do we know each other?"

I had a VERY hard time answering THAT one.

******************************

(Lisa)

Due to the events of the last year I had become somewhat bitter, showing this with a touch of cynicism. That was by far not my usual nature, mind you. However, circumstances of life had taught me to never take a statement or situation as it appeared to be. Maybe I was a wee bit too untrusting lately, yet I could smell that there was much more to this teacher I had spoken to than met the eye. Far more than Kinomoto Sakura had let on initially.

Why else would she request private talks even before I was officially part of the student body? I didn't believe one second that she was merely _interested_ in me and my ability. I didn't think she even put any attention to the ring or noticed the fact that unlike many of the other students attending, I was already beyond the mere theory of elemental beings. How I could be so sure? Well, maybe because her eyes were practically glued to me, as if seeing right to my very soul.

Mind you, the striking resemblance to the girl in my eyes was a very strong indicator for far greater happenings as well. And I was pretty sure that neither was the meeting today a coincidence nor was this Sakura unaware of the… pull that must have went through both of us. She wasn't student head of the Magic department for nothing after all.

She might as well hold the key to the answers I had been seeking.

"Dinner's ready in another ten minutes, Lisa-chan," Obabasan greeted as I passed by the kitchen. I sometimes really wondered how she managed to be practically everywhere at once, and that in her while by far not crippling but definitely considerable old age.

"I'll be down in a bit," I replied in passing and headed up the stairs, lost in thought about the meeting that had occurred at Neo Infinity. I had gone there, as they say it so nicely, on a whim, figuring I might as well take advantage of the courses that were offering guests to listen in. And while I had been distracted by the nagging sense of familiarity and the resemblance of the student that had lectured pretty much the entire period, I had been quite fascinated and interested in the lecture itself. Sure, having had a contract with an elemental spirit for quite some time now, I had made my own experiences and a lot of the theory was… irrelevant. There were, however, subtle things, nuances, side comments that I guessed went right past the average listener. Having been taught by my own elemental a lot of those aspects, I could appreciate the obvious depth of experience and knowledge Kinomoto Sakura possessed on the subject. To make a long praise short… I had never in my life been paying that much rapt attention to a lecture.

And don't you dare tell that to anyone I know.

"What am I going to get for that?" the clear, bell-like voice of Soyokaze vibrated in the air about a second before its owner decided to make an appearance.

"A week not being sealed inside that ring," I replied casually, shrugging out of my clothes to change into something more relaxed.

"By cosmic law something is bound to happen in that time that you need me with. Besides, what would you do without my insight?" Soyo-chan quipped without breaking stride, snatching up the blouse with a gust of air that shouldn't have been possible in a closed room. I caught the article, noticing the very brief furrowing of tiny, ghost-like eyebrows. I was probably imagining it anyway but sometimes I couldn't help but wonder if the gentle Sylph had a crush on me. I did read that this tended to happen quite a lot in a traditional summoner-elemental relationship. Elemental spirits were by nature a lot more easygoing and bare of human social complications like inhibitions.

"Hai," I said, before standing up to move in front of the mirror, starting to fix my air. "But I don't need to call you out to use your power or talk to you."

There was a noticeable period of silence after that, the Sylph obviously trying to make a comeback. Lacking that, she resorted to the cute and clearly human reaction of pouting. "Ah," I said, "now, not that look again. That's dirty play."

"You are no fun," Soyo-chan replied with mock hurt, making a show of turning away with arms crossed. In truth I knew beyond doubt that the easy banter between us was a part of our partnership that she cherished just as much as I did.

I chuckled merrily. "I thought being snippily is a royal trademark for humans." My smile deepened at the indignant look, followed by a flush and the almost immediate reaction of trying to cover up the feinted shock. "But seriously," I decided to change topics, my mood definitely more relaxed now. "What do you make of her?" I didn't need to ask whether or not Soyo-chan had listened. While a reserved, gentle kind, many Sylph's were remarkable curious, especially one as young as she was.

"All I can say for sure is that this girl's the real deal." I raised an eyebrow at that, waiting for further explanation. "A full-fledged sorceress, I mean. There is indeed a high concentration of talent in that school but this one… She could really shape the world, literally. Especially on a nexus like Tokyo."

I mulled that one over, finding my own analysis matching that of the wind elemental. Trained in the spiritual arts I could definitely feel the tingle of vibrant, colorful power around her. "Maybe so. But she's hiding something from me," I confessed the center point of my irritancy, knowing that it wasn't likely that Soyo-chan hadn't figured it out by now.

"Do you really think she's outright lying to you?" the Sylph inquired softly and I glanced over my shoulder at her with an inquisitive gaze. "What I mean is: Did you expect her – assuming she has something to do with the mystery of your dreams – to come right out and tell you all about it. Probably some unbelievable, farfetched-sounding story of a past life you were supposed to have lived? That is what you are suspecting, isn't it? And you know I support you there."

I winced at the wording, once more reminded just why I valued the Sylph's wisdom and insight practically above anyone else's. Wind was the aspect of the mind and my friend definitely was following that role. She was a very good advisor in most situations.

"Guess you are right. She has no idea that I'm already suspecting, I am not sure what to think about it myself or how to approach her about it and besides that, maybe I'm just seeing things and she doesn't have anything to do with the girl of my dreams." Noticing Soyo-chan's look I grinned ruefully, realizing just how that last part sounded. With a more somber voice I added after awhile, "I don't even know if trying to solve that mystery is such a good idea. What if I'm unlocking something… wrong?" I trailed off, glancing over into the general direction of the dresser next to my bed.

Soyo-chan noticed the look and replied softly, "That's something you have to know for yourself. But since you started already, will you really turn back now?" See, what I meant? She knew me too well. Those dreams and flashes were driving me crazy and there was that undeniable urge in me that told me I would regret never figuring out this mystery, meeting those two woman that were the center of the images.

"Yeah," I matched the elemental's tone. "Seems like I'm going to take Kinomoto-san up on that offer. Let's see what I can get out of her."

Soyo-chan smiled lopsidedly. "Yup, that's my Lisa." With a slight flash of golden-yellow she went back into spiritual form and seemingly disappeared in the surface of the ring on my finger.

I walked over to the dresser and picked up the picture showing a middle-aged couple in front of the Bremer Dom, the date was of several years ago. Then I put it down again with a wistful sigh and headed downstairs for dinner.

******************************

March 13 (Minako)

It was getting notoriously difficult to move around without help, I noted sarcastically as I plopped down on the couch, having retrieved something to drink. Spring had hit Tokyo early this year… well, considering you could call well over twenty degrees spring. More like early summer and while the spacious rooms and hallways in the manor were noticeably cooler than that of a normal house, there was a definite humidness in the air that was at all not mixing with the growing signs and limitations of my condition.

My condition… There was one thing I couldn't tire but constantly think about. Ever since that evening with Makoto and Hotaru where a temporary… agreement had been established, one thing had slowly but surely crept out from the veil of unconscious denial I had placed over it. No longer having the outlet of utter frustration since my… lovers gladly took care of that, I could not prevent from taking note of the one undeniable fact anymore.

I was pregnant.

I was going to be a mother.

Okay, maybe those were two facts but hey, could you blame me? Guess not. The truth hit me hard when I finally reckoned it for what it was. The realization had been kind of breathtaking, still was. And now being almost five months along – about six or early seven by the slightly accelerated rate calculated by Ami – there was no point in denying it anymore.

"Hey, why so gloomy?" I glanced to see that Makoto had entered the room unnoticed, being too absorbed in my reflections. My brunette friend looked at me quizzically before glancing down at the glass in obvious comprehension.

"You are right, this weather isn't normal. Must be more signs for well, you know what," she stated and sat down next to me on the couch. I didn't even hesitate to lean onto the taller woman when her arm slipped around my shoulders. I WAS getting tired very easily after all. The limitations were by far not as extreme as that of a normal pregnancy for some bizarre scientific-magical reason I had not bothered to try and understand. In fact the amount of growth shown outwardly at my belly was barely half as much as it should be. I understood as much as that had something to do with the fact that the child had more or less been conceived in a union of three pure souls but beyond that I tended to leave the details to Hotaru. The inconvenience this state put on my body was still big enough for me and I hated the temporary but steadily more increasing fits of weakness and exhaustion.

"I hate being so powerless," I confessed, not implying just my physical state and helplessness should it come to a serious fight which alone gnawed on my ego and sense of responsibility enough. I was their leader after all and I was bound to a sitting or lying position most of the time. No, that wasn't all. After Hotaru's discovery meetings had been called, explanations being made but Hotaru had also said that all we could really do now was wait and see. That didn't met well with many of the others – neither did it with the three of us – but I could see the point that there really was not much we could do considering the possible threat was still locked inside its cage at the moment. A threat that – according to Hotaru – was clearly in the class of apocalyptic. I had rarely seen the expression of… fear in Saturn's eyes and that alone was enough to put everyone on guard. On guard for a shapeless and physical not present enemy.

"I know what you mean," Makoto said quietly, unconsciously her free hand was drawing lazy circles over my belly. It had been kind of a routine, an unspoken agreement since that evening. I found myself amazed again and again at the level of compassion and support that was provided by the two other girls… no, really young woman already in all but actual public acknowledgment in Hotaru's case. The display of maturity was beyond that of mere children. We were all grown up now. I still felt rather unworthy of all that attention directed at me, considering how badly I had treated them at first and how much a part of me still refused to allow a suitable response.

I had watched the lazy motions of Makoto's hands for some time when looked up at her with an unreadable expression on my face, desperately wanting to force the words out but once again feeling myself incapable of doing the deed. Makoto seemed to know exactly what was going on inside of me and put a brief but promising kiss on my lips before pulling her hand up to cup my cheek. "I know. Onegai, don't rush yourself."

"You're too good to me," I whispered, closing my eyes and enjoying the contact for what it was. Once let down in conscious awareness I had been unaware and quite unwilling to raise the barriers that had been let down through Hotaru's surprisingly forceful actions again. But there was still so much holding me back, so many more barriers that were hard to let go off. I WANTED to, believe me, I did but…

"You've always been too good to me," I reinforced, overcome by memories of our teenage days. Makoto had been like the big sister of the Inners, sometimes even a mother figure. While often outgoing and direct, she was a surprisingly good listener to other people's problems and often had listened after the one or other misfired _relationship_. Back then I had still told myself that they meant something…

"Hey, stop that right now," Makoto chastened with a mock-cross expression and pulling back much to my displeasure. "We are here for you no matter what and you need us or do you still deny that?"

I shook my head softly in reply. "No, not anymore." Gazing back into the emerald eyes watching me expectedly but at the same time patiently I let out the breath I hadn't even realized I was holding. "I'm scared, Makoto. I'm scared because I might really, I…" Once again I felt the barriers smash into place but they had a name now. I realized how true the statement was even though the words came out without conscious thought. I was scared because THIS strange, abnormal and all out totally weird relationship was unlike all the pseudo pretenses I had hid under for so long and only recently let myself feel the effect it had on me in the presence of those two remarkable women. Only with them and only to a degree I allowed myself that luxury and this was already much further than I had ever allowed any boy or man to see the real me under the surface. And that fact scared me, scared me beyond belief.

"Shh, I know," Makoto hushed pulling me into a full embrace that I fell into with a sigh, another testament to how far I had already let myself fall.

After several minutes of staying that way I disengaged from the hug, a sparkle of resolve building inside of me brought upon by the slow realization that there was really a baby growing inside of me now. This was something we all had neglected in the face of our personal problems and it was long time due that we made this step. "Mako-chan," I said silently, knowing in a way that beyond this point there might as well be no turning back anymore. Not that the other two would ever let me. "When Hotaru gets back… I want to go see Rei. It's time we really knew what happened that night."

There wasn't a need to spell out to which night exactly I was referring to. It had been the catalyst for all this after all and the missing clarity, the inability to remember might have played its role in the long frustration and drama between the three of us. But I was going to be a mother soon – as amazing and hard to believe that fact was – and there was no way I would give birth not knowing exactly what happened on the night of conceiving and who was technically "the father".

"Are you sure," Makoto asked tentatively. This was probably the first time we had even breached the subject.

I nodded quietly, a firm resolve taking its place in my heart. If I was letting myself getting caught in this I would do so consciously and prepared.

******************************

(Hotaru)

Kind of ironic actually that it took circumstances like the attack about a month ago that the daughter of the former director and the junior partner of Neo Infinity began to meet regularly and talk more personally. I suppose we really were just to wrapped up in our own lives at the beginning and after that the opportunities were becoming scarce to nonexistent. I really wished we'd had that meeting a year ago when the school was officially opened and I wished even more I had known back then about HER.

The others hadn't taken well to the news and even less so to sitting around, idly waiting. But there really wasn't much more we could do at this point. Any kind of trying to meddle with the seal was out of the question as I made quite clear when the suggestion was brought up. We couldn't just go and well… reinforce it. The ancient seal was two hundred millennia old, already tempered with and who knows how close to breaking. The original creation had taken a high amount of individual sacrifices and weaved a complex net of power that the slightest mistake could upset. And besides, it's not like Sakura and Tomoyo hadn't tried that route already and actually succeeded in repairing the damage. Of course by then, it was already too late to do more than winning some time.

Setsuna had surprised me the most actually. She had NOT known about Sakura and Tomoyo being the incarnations of Lina and Amelia until I told her. That worried me a lot, coupled with the fact that her time sight was considerably weakened, to a point where you could call it blocked. That had happened only once before. In the old war, shortly before the rise of the Silver Millennium. The implications were NOT all that comforting.

"So, let me get this right. You FOUND her but now Sakura-san is reluctant to tell her the full truth?" I said to the other girl, sitting next to me. It was the end of a long day of classes. Seeing that the paranormal section didn't actually operate after a normal schedule, studying here was complex and challenging work and there wasn't just a relaxing phase at the end of a semester. The school calendar didn't really apply here. I had come to spend more and more time with the other girl in between classes and found her quite pleasant company. She was a lot more reserved than Amelia had been but I could see the same kind heart in her that I had seen in the young Queen of Saillune.

Tomoyo nodded, concern clearly written in her face. "It's kind of like your situation I think. One wrong word or action…" She trailed off but the sentence didn't need to be verbally completed for me to understand its meaning.

"Yes, I can see that. If you come on too strong that might scare her away and I don't even want to think what an easy target that would make for Pandora to exploit." And there I thought I had it hard. At least She wasn't hunting Minako or something. The attack was a coincidence and I doubted Pandora would risk an agent with both Makoto and myself constantly around. Those two though… I couldn't help but admire Tomoyo for holding up so well under all the circumstances, but even more so I admired Sakura for the same reasons. Even before she had unlocked her memories as Lina, she had an encounter with the Feared One, an encounter that had to have left deep emotional scars. The memories of her past life must have been actually comforting in the long run. Most people would have crumbled under the weight of responsibility put on those two.

"Sakura thinks there already is some… connection." I looked sharply at Tomoyo. "That's part of why she wants to go slow and well… undetected."

"You mean like avoiding to provoke a reaction from whatever link there is already?" Tomoyo nodded and I scratched my chin in thought. "A tough situation. You shouldn't wait too long though. The planet's becoming more and more restless. I dread to admit this but she'll make her move soon and Sylphiel's reincarnation IS the most likely target." Life was like that. A complex web of possibilities where according to our nature – which WAS chaos – one action could provoke several different reactions. Waiting though could very well trigger the possibility that was furthest away from your original goal. That's why I acted with Minako when I thought I had to and while we were still some distance away from resolving our situations, we were getting somewhere.

Tomoyo was a rather quiet girl though. I had been able to observe some of the interaction between her and Sakura, the dynamics of their relationship, and figured out quickly enough that Tomoyo would usually be supportive of anything that her partner did, only speaking up when she really found it appropriate. It was kind of a quiet, passive position, dominating not so much through actions or words but small gestures and mere presence. If I had to draw a comparison, Tomoyo was kind of what Michiru-mama was to Haruka-papa. Tomoyo was the consciousness where Sakura was action.

I glanced at my watch, noticing that it was getting late already. "Look, I have to get home. Try to talk to Sakura about this. I really think we are running out of time and I'd rather have you three together than apart when the fireworks start," I said, standing up.

Tomoyo nodded and stood up as well. "I was planning on doing that anyway. It's good to have a second opinion though." She smiled at me and I smiled back, mutual understanding passing between us. Our situations were quite similar as were our roles. Sakura might be the more outgoing party in their relationship but Tomoyo was the silent center, the rock in the raging sea so to say. I tended to view myself similarly as of late, trying to hold the fragile peace between Minako, Makoto and myself together.

Lately though I wondered just whether or not I really was meant to be there, in their midst, or if I was just the initiator. Since settling into the semi-comfortable routine Makoto and Minako had spent a lot of time together. The brunette could afford to take a bit of time off from her work and training – it helped that she had rather understanding employers – to help our pregnant lover. Besides that, Makoto proved to be much versed when it came to everyday stuff and it became clear out of the three of us she might be best suited to take care of a child…

I shook my head, chasing away the brief bout of insecurity. We were in this together and I wasn't going to back out now. After all it was more than highly likely that I was the genetic father – I could just see some experts getting a fit at the prospect – and I had a responsibility to fulfill.

Saying goodbye to Tomoyo, I made my way back home.

******************************

March 17 (Makoto

"This weather is getting more and more erratic," I muttered to myself and ducked back into the store I had just emerged from. In the ten minutes I had spent in there the sky had changed from blue and cloudless to a dark gray, unloading a massive rain shower down on the earth. I had barely felt it coming and even the little bit of warning I got was not enough to return home in time. I sure as hell was not going to run all the way to the apartment through the rain.

Sighing I decided to do some more shopping. Well, at least looking at the various plants, flowers and similar gardening articles that lined the rows. This was one of my favorite places. It was neither really spacious or even commonly known, more like an insider hint, somewhat hidden in a side alley between two bigger stores.

I stopped when I came across a stack of beautiful white lilies – Casablanca, Rei's favorite flower. I'd have to remember to preorder some for her birthday next month. I knew that wasn't original and Rei always seemed to be rather wistful and reserved when she got them. I suspected it was something that happened in her past but I wasn't one to pry deeply if it wasn't of any direct concern to me. Lately though, actually ever since Sasami came to live at the Jinja, she was a lot more carefree and happy at her own birthday. _That just proves again that love knows no boundaries_, I mused with a smile on my lips.

The smile turned into surprise when I turned around, catching sight of a familiar figure I had previously missed. I hadn't really paid much attention, just getting a couple of items and then planning on getting home again. Now, the flash of lavender hair was hard to mistake for anything else and surely enough, when my eyes settled on the woman in red Chinese robes talking with someone else at the moment, it turned out to be the person I had least expected to meet here.

Deciding that the rain wouldn't let up for awhile, I went over to the pair and called out, "Konnichi wa, Saotome-sensei." Well, okay… Technically she was my employer but since she was almost as versed as her husband in the art, I found myself taught some things by her as well.

The woman turned away from her conversation, spotted me and smiled in greeting. "Makoto-chan, what a pleasant surprise." I bowed briefly and the woman returned the gesture. Saotome Xian Pu was definitely a striking beauty, someone who'd turn heads on every corner but she could also be very dignified and formal despite what other people had thought of her in her youth. I had heard some pretty wild stories regarding that particular time.

"It is nice to meet you too, Sensei. I am sorry I haven't been to work regularly."

Xian Pu waved the issues away with a knowing smirk. "It's alright. I understand completely. A pregnancy is a very important event in one's life after all and I'm sure your… _friend_ appreciates your help." Seeing the knowing gleam in the other woman's eyes I wondered briefly why I had even bothered to make a semi-cover story.

Before I could dig my grave even deeper – judged by the mock predatory look I found myself at the receiving end of –, it was the other woman next to my employer that drew our mutual attention. She had simply stood to the side rather unnoticed until then

"Mako-chan?"

I turned surprised eyes to the speaker, taking in the features of a woman around Xian Pu's age, prime of her years really. A lean body that spoke of physical exertion – probably some form of Martial Art – and an outfit that made her look just the slightest bit tomboyish, in blue and black, a little like a kunoichi's. "Excuse me, do I know…" My inspection went back to the face, the brown hair and the white ribbon tied into it, and then the eyes… "… you… Senpai?"

I blinked, reassuring myself that the hectic of the last month hadn't left some form of mental delusion, but except the fact – the rather disturbingly obvious fact – that the person in front of me was beyond doubt FEMALE, the features matched almost perfectly. SHE was definitely a lot more, um… cute, beautiful actually now that it was clear that she was of the fairer gender but… "Um, you…" I felt myself stutter, to stunned for coherent speech.

"You know each other?" Xian Pu looked back and forth between us with a confused look on her face.

The woman smiled ruefully. "Oh yes, we do. Long history… well, okay actually short. We met in Junior High briefly, she kind of had a crush on me. Back then I was still pretending…"

My employer raised an eyebrow and then realization seemed to dawn upon her face, realization that I would give a lot to have right now because I was thoroughly confused. A wee bit hurt, too, because I had obviously been deceived. Not that I wasn't over that stupid crush by now, yet there was one thing that I didn't like. When I was deceived, played with. I wanted people to be honest with me as I tried to be honest with them. That attitude, I knew, didn't sit well with many people but I'd rather have it that way when lying to myself or others.

I folded my arms over my chest and gave the other woman a stern look, pushing away my confusion for the moment. "What a surprise meeting you here, after all those years, Ukyo-_kun_," I said in the best icy tone I managed, not really able to give into anger since it was apparent the other brown-haired woman – come to think of it, as women we shared a good deal of features, almost like sisters – was already looking very guilty right now.

"Well I…" Kuonji Ukyo sighed heavily, "Gomen nasei, Mako-chan. I didn't mean to fool you deliberately. You have to understand it hadn't been the first time I pretended to be a boy, did that a lot actually until shortly after we, um… parted company." Yeah right, parted company, what a nice way of wording it. He… SHE had told me outright that there was someone else important in her life, not worded exactly like that but that was what I had concluded. I halted my train of thoughts, wondering briefly if I had made any snap judgments then…

"Right, I'm sure Saki-chan knew all about it. How is she those days?"

Ukyo blinked, surprised. "Saki-chan? I don't know. I had to move on shortly after you transferred… Mako-chan, there… Matte, you thought Saki and I were…" I nodded and she groaned, holding a hand to her forehead. "No, no, you got it all wrong. I posed as a boy for some personal reason that's really not all important right now. Makoto, I feel really sorry for what happened but you didn't even give me a chance to explain, you were just gone so quickly…"

I flushed at the reminder, realizing that I had acted like… well, the young teenage schoolgirl with a mad crush on my senpai that I had been. The day after he… kuso, SHE told me that there was someone else… now, that I think about it she had said SOMETHING and I had just jumped to conclusion. The next day I had almost welcomed the suggestion to transfer after I had got into another fight out of frustration mostly. I had told myself it would be easier than seeing them together…

"Oh…" I grinned sheepishly. "Guess that wasn't my smartest move, huh?"

Ukyo shook her head. "It's okay. We were both young and a little foolish, I guess. I just hope there are no hard feelings because I really enjoyed your company and when you left…" I blushed slightly at the comment, not able to completely ignore old feelings. "I mean as a friend," the other woman emended quickly.

I was going to say something when Xian Pu cut into the conversation again. "You sure about that? I'd be careful Makoto, Ucchan here likes to try and steal away other people's husbands." My old Senpai grimaced under the teasing comment and shot her purple-haired friend a dirty look to which the other pretended innocence. "You see, _Spatula Girl_ here," Ukyo winced at the obvious nickname, "was one of Airen's other suitors a few years ago…"

That piqued my curiosity and seeing my old friend squirm uncomfortably I saw a good opportunity to not only pass the time but get back to my Senpai for – unwanted or not – deceiving me. "Really? I'd like to know all about that."

******************************

(Sakura)

Another of those unusual things about Neo Infinity, a student with an office… Well, okay, actually it was Tomoyo's or better the office of the anonymous partner that Tomoyo represented… Not to mention that technically I WAS old enough to be a teacher and still in my final year of High School – which Tomoyo and I minimized from three to two because most of the stuff became too boring… Now, if anyone should come to me complaining about how confusing their life is, I'd… do some pretty nasty things!

My thoughts were erratic again, familiar signs in a familiar situation. It was one of THE sessions again. Across from me sat the young teenage girl who had literally dropped into my life… after spending near to four years searching for her. Once more I felt the strange mix of feelings playing havoc in my heart. There was longing but there was also caution. And surprisingly enough they both came from the same source and that source was not my present life but the memories of Lina…

The sessions had been informal at first. The first two times we talked mostly about the school and what the girl, Lisa, was supposed to expect. Then things slowly got more personal. I felt somewhat comfortable with hiding under the mask of the student head and questioning her about her life instead of revealing all the things I longed to say. We didn't have much time anymore, I could see that Pandora already had her talons at Lisa's neck, literally. The fact that she had been in the area for several months now and no attempt at tracking had ever met with fruition was a dead giveaway. And so I was careful to not probe too deep, too fast.

Funny actually, both Tomoyo and I had been rather different persons, with rather different personalities and outer appearances in this life compared to those of Lina and Amelia. The striking similarity had literally blown me off my feet. Not just the physical appearance which was apart from some minor discrepancies a mirror image of her past life. No, even the setting was almost ridiculously similar. Lisa Whitelighter from what I had gathered had a rather diverse history with many blank pages that I was still trying to fill, yet the key facts were pretty much the same. Right now she was a miko at her grandmother's shrine and ironically enough her parents were deceased already… I had been digging for more information on this because I feared a possible taint that could be exploited and the result came back rather worrying. Apparently Lisa's parents had died in a fire roughly a year ago, shortly afterwards she had settled down here…

_It's not fair_, I thought bitterly. _Sylphiel lost her father to Copy Rezo's attack, why does this have to repeat itself?_ There was a somewhat cynic side to Lisa that I had gotten glimpses of, very brief and I doubt I'd picked them up a few years ago when I had just been Sakura.

"Kinomoto-san, I appreciate your concern but could we get to the real cause of my visits? I did my research on the school already, you know?" Lisa interrupted my thoughts as well as the semi-automatic explanations I had given on some of the subjects we were teaching her. Lisa had admitted to some latent control over Air magic and a healthy interest in elemental lore, especially elemental spirits. I couldn't help but wondering if her interest was more than just theoretically. If there was a Sylph or Sprite bound to her though I couldn't detect it… which wasn't so unusual given that elemental spirits – ESPECIALLY air spirits – were rather good at hiding their presence from even magical sight.

I looked at the other girl more critically and once more felt the longing rise inside of me. It wasn't always as easy as I tried to portray it to Tomoyo. The side of me that was Lina's incarnation wasn't memories only. That's not how reincarnations work most of the time. A part of the old spirit makeup remained with the soul when it went on to the next cycle of life. If a person went through many incarnations whose spirits were rather different, the soul could turn out rather… colorful.

I sighed, seeing the determined look in those green eyes. So determined, so much like her, so much like the time when… "Do you really want me to do that?" I asked quietly, for a moment dropping all pretense of the game of hide and seek that had started between us. Frankly I could tell that Lisa was a extraordinarily sharp person and seemed to have enough mystic knowledge that she'd probably believe all that I could… that I wanted to tell her. Dealing with those revelations would be another story though.

How could I tell her after all that happened to Sylphiel and me when we were roughly that age? The memories of that time were among the few that I really wished I had never remembered again in the first place. We had been so young and foolish and she had been just as determined to find out the horrible secret of my condition I had tried so hard to hide from the group. But it had been too much pressure and I had caved in under the gentle but unyielding pressure from the shrine maiden. And look where that ended…

No, I couldn't, I wouldn't repeat this mistake. Logically I knew this was a different situation and despite the parallels Lisa was a different person, just like Tomoyo and I. However, the similarities made it rather painful to listen to reason and reminded me of those dark memories again and again.

"Let me see," Lisa broke into my train of thoughts again and her eyes flashed with quiet determination that didn't help at all to concentrate on the present. "For several years now I had reoccurring dreams of people I've never met before and I have the feeling you know exactly what they could mean," Lisa all but abandoned any form of holding back. We had slowly come to this point but it seemed the other girl had become tired of waiting.

"And what do YOU think these dreams mean?" I asked, watching the other girl seemingly relaxed but inwardly torn at the prospect of the truth coming out. Despite all those weeks I had time to prepare for this moment, I was still not sure how to go about this. How do you tell a complete stranger – from their point of view – that they are the reincarnation of their past lover and life… if not soul mate, together with another girl who was also here and not to forget that she might become a target for an ancient demonic being soon that tried to revive a war that they had participated in many millennia ago… Oh right, easy enough. Tell her just that. I was sure she'd feel overwhelmed by the responsibility and would like to do everything to help… just like Sylphiel… The shrine maiden had had no real idea what she was getting into but had still offered her help out of… I still didn't know what it had been, even with the benefit of a second perspective. I doubted it had been love at this point, there was still that infatuation thing with Gourry in the way. Actually, we both had no clear idea what was going on and I had been desperate… And while in the long run the situation had turned out alright, I'd really like to spare her incarnation a similar fate.

Once again there was the pressure though. Time was running short.

"I think they are glimpses of a past life and the two people I see most in them could very well be you, Kinomoto-san, and your girlfriend, Daidouji-san," Lisa stated in a matter of matter-of-fact tone that simply floored me. The Sylphiel I knew had always kept a certain innocence – some would call it naivety – even when she was older. But Lisa seemed to have a kind of observation skill I could easily compare to Tomoyo's. Sure our relationship was unofficially public knowledge among the students but Lisa had hardly spend enough time here to sound so… certain.

I gave another long sigh and then stood up. It seemed there was no way around it. However, I wouldn't rush into this. I needed some time to really think this through and I should speak with Tomoyo too, maybe we should even do this together. As indecisive and torn inside as I was right now, I might end up saying the wrong things and there was no way that I would unintentionally bring hurt to that gentle girl… again. _I don't know how close Pandora already is and therefore no one can tell how a wrong reaction might turn out_, I argued with myself.

Opening a drawer, I took out a tiny business card and handed it to an expectant Lisa. "Meet us here next week, the same time. We'll talk then." This needed more careful planning. It might be a risk to wait any longer but enough people had gotten hurt in this and during the course of our past lives already, unintentionally or because of that monster. I would not willingly endanger Lisa and put her on that list myself.

For a moment the other girl stared up and I had the feeling as if she would press the issue but then she also stood up and bowed curtly, taking the card. "I will." And with that she turned around and exited the office, leaving me to my own troubled thoughts.

******************************

Around 200012 BC ()

It was about a month or so after the defeat of Hellmaster Phibrizo that it all started and right now Lina felt that she would have been better off not returning alive from this encounter. How the hell exactly she had survived after calling the Golden Lord, the Lord of Nightmares, the CREATOR into her body was beyond her. She had no recollection from the point onwards when Phibrizo interfered with her casting in attempt to let the chaos energy run wild. All that she knew was from her friend's sketchy explanations that she had apparently been _possessed_ by L-sama and had been returning back to the Sea or something like that. Gourry, the baka, had probably done some incredible stupid stunt and pulled her back at the last possible moment… Lina really wished he hadn't, as harsh as this might sound. Maybe then the events that had taken place over the last weeks could have been avoided. No, they would have never taken place!

_L-sama, I never felt so guilty before. Not even after that incident with Oneechan_, Lina thought miserably, staring at the vacant spot next to her where minutes ago… or was it hours? She really didn't know. The point remained that up until this particular point Sylphiel had been there for the last several weeks of their travels.

_At least I've got enough of a fill to sustain me for awhile… I hope_, the redheaded sorceress added snidely in her silent musings, looking down at her hands. Hands that had wrought much destruction and yet never meaning real harm to anyone during those instances. That was just how she was, part of her nature. Despite what other people thought Lina took always great care with her magic. Even when casting a Dragon Slave in the center of a town… It was actually a quite impressive feat to pull one of WITHOUT harming the inhabitants lethally… Years of training and devotion to the Black Magic lore had taught her that control…

_Some control… Didn't do me a whole lot of good with this._ Lina couldn't help but wonder if her radical orientation towards Black and Spiritual offense magic had brought her to this point. Most likely. Why else would she be in dire need of power from the opposite lore now? It hadn't seem that bad at the beginning and the events between Gaav's defeat and the eventual demise of Phibrizo had been so hectic – not to mention depressing – that Lina had not really paid much attention to the signs. Signs that had been there, at brief instances, since casting the Giga Slave on Shabranigdu/Rezo. In hindsight that might have nudged open the door. The straining use of two Ragna Blades in short order, with the full knowledge of what exactly she was casting there had begun to push it open. Accidentally calling L-sama in her body then literally ripped the door out of its imaginary hinges.

The first night had been pure torture and the day afterwards she had made up some feeble excuse and went to look up the next capable cleric. The result wasn't very comforting. Apparently her entire mana had suffered a drastic imbalance from the excessive use of Chaos Magic and the worst part was that what she had used the magic for was just in alliance with her nature. By now Lina did understand that L-sama, Chaos personified, was more than just the ultimate Dark Lord. Chaos was neither Good nor Evil, it was a balance and at the same time a power of contradicting elements. On one side there was the longing to return to its original form but at the same time there also was the creation that steamed from the chaos. It was both balance and imbalance. A drive for preservation and destruction.

But Lina was naturally attuned to the destructive part of magic. Not because she was evil. That's another prejudicial assumption by society. If Lina was EVIL, then why had she not turned the other way as things got too heated, why hadn't she accepted the Mazoku's offer to join them instead of making the suicidal attempt of fighting them for her life? No, Lina wasn't evil, just destructive. She fought her battles after the principle of fighting fire with fire. That's just how she was. Unfortunately that had only intensified her current _condition_.

Before ever casting any Chaos Magic it had just been a general specialization in the Black Magic category. Nothing abnormal. In fact it was a given fact that every mage would end up specializing in one or two fields. And it was definitely not uncommon that this specialization would be determined by the mage's character and preferences. Really, until then, while it was just normal magic, everything was perfectly fine. But L-sama's spells had, in easy terms, overloaded her mana. The clerics she had consulted were rather baffled and feared that if the process would continue unhindered she might lose the ability to cast any White Magic at all. Not that she was good at it but the thought alone was frightening enough, not even to begin with the implications she was much too aware of as a trained sorceress.

Lina figured it probably had to do with the enormous amounts of magic she had channeled in such a short time. The human body was not made for this kind of strain, not even one with Lina's magical energy capacities. And the overwhelming presence of L-sama temporally inhabiting her body had brought the keg to spill over.

And the results weren't pretty in the slightest. For one thing Lina was now dependent on regular feedings of White Magic or otherwise the imbalanced mana would most likely end up either ripping her apart or driving her over the edge of sanity. Neither was really a preferable option but right now Lina would wish she could just take the former and be done with it.

_Why did she have to be so damn determined anyway? Must have been her healer's oath or something,_ Lina thought darkly, unconsciously cutting open a fingernail from all the abuse she was doing to them without noticing, too lost in her self-misery.

That was another thing. After sneaking away for regular visits to a shrine, even going so far as planning their travel routes in a way that she wouldn't run short of opportunities, Lina quickly realized that the clean feedings were just barely enough to sustain her for the time until the next stop. In turn another side effect got stronger and stronger, the sexual urges, the silent cries of release her body tortured her with to the point where she had to resort to self-pleasure… But that was not really helping at all. Until that one night when they had been staying at an inn, short of rooms, and she had to share one with Sylphiel… and that on a night where she hadn't been able to get a feeding in awhile. Of course, with her luck, the often rather innocent and oblivious shrine maiden had noticed something was wrong, gently but firmly pressured her fellow sorceress for details and from there things had… escalated.

_It's your own damn fault for giving in and you know that._ Lina had been in a mindset where the attempts of protest were feeble and insignificant in the face of a compassionate friend who was willing to help. Her body was crying out for another's touch and as far as she had buried it, Lina always had had some… favoring thoughts towards the fairer sex. Quite frankly, the redhead had put up not much a fight albeit her rational mind screaming at her that this could only end in disaster.

And in disaster it ended. Don't get the wrong impression here. The secret nights between the two friends were, at first, quite… sensual if you really can use the term here. There really was some good deal of affection and the magic that Sylphiel was providing, amplified by the sexual act, left Lina feeling almost completely normal again for the first time in over a month. It was a widespread knowledge that the sexual act alone created magical energy in vast quantities and in a partnership of two mages was often the most effective way of refilling reserves. However, in Lina's case it wasn't so easy. The imbalance in her mana was also reflecting on her character in pushing her normal traits to extremes. Their sessions became more and more… violent. There was no nicer way of saying it. While the act sustained her balance, during it she was exposed to her raw needs and the influences of her impure mana, making her do things she never would have done otherwise.

Last night everything had come to a crushing climax. She had finally gone too far, just as she had feared but could not prevent. This time she really had hurt the other girl that had so selflessly offered her help upon discovering Lina's problems. She had even drained the gentle shrine maiden far too much, to the point of near spiritual death and that alone left the distraught redhead disgusted at her own actions.

Lina hadn't been surprised when she found upon waking that Sylphiel wasn't there anymore and through the tentative bond they had built up over the last weeks, she could tell that the other girl was neither in the inn or in the near vicinity. The redhead plopped back down on the bed and closed her eyes, desperately trying to force the tears away. The worst part of it all was that she had really come to care for the shrine maiden, to a point where she had almost been ready to call it love.

******************************

(Tomoyo)

I found Sakura, after spending some time searching, resting on the roof. She sat lotus-style and one would think the redheaded girl was lost in either deep thought or intense meditation… Not that there was such a thing as _intense_ meditation since intensity was not the predestined goal of the act and defied furthermore the whole principle…

But I suppose that is besides the point and maybe I was just stalling a little. In fact Sakura WAS emitting very intense feelings right now and I could tell with one glance her mood was rather sour and introversive. In other words, my mate was quietly brooding and it took no genius to discern the subject.

"This is the second time in all the years that I've found you up here," I remarked softly but in a way that was forcing Sakura to acknowledge my presence. I sat down next to her, slipping an arm around her and leaning against her shoulder. The only other time I had ever seen her up here was a bit after the Seal Cards incident when she had assumed… more like steadfastly believed that I wouldn't be able to accept the possible addition of Sylphiel in our relationship, in whatever form it may come.

"It's called seeking solitude. You are not supposed to come after me and make me feel better," Sakura replied with a wry smile of affection, apparently finding it hard to hold onto the dark mood she had worked herself into. After seven years I still marveled at my apparent effect on the courageous, spirited girl next to me.

"Mmh, but it's part of my job description to cheer you up when you need it. Even or should I say especially when you don't want me to," I said in a casual tone but in reality I was a little nervous. Sakura had been rather tightlipped over her latest meeting with Lisa. However, the core information was easily enough extracted. On the one hand I was thrilled that Sakura was finally discarding her reluctance and was willing to make that much anticipated step but on the other hand I could still detect the wariness and the subtle stalling. The latter was a point I meant to discuss or more like openly stir my mate in the right direction.

"But you are not really here – or only here – to cheer me up, right?" Sakura inquired as if reading my thoughts which the empathic link between us came very close to. Actually, telepathy is vastly overrated. Empathy is a much higher form of reading another human being. Thoughts can be confusing, deceiving sometimes – even to the own self. Emotions were open expressions of the heart, the true, unguarded nature of the living, unrestrained by social oppression or regulations. Thoughts could speak volumes but never get the finer points across. Emotions were like a complex woven poem or tale, expressing far more detail and less superficiality.

"No, I am not," I answered slowly and then timidly added, "Can I be open?"

Sakura shook her head bemused with a smile conveying both affection and mild annoyance. "Onegai, I insist. You don't do that often enough anyway."

I blushed slightly, well aware of the fact that I rarely spoke up directly against Sakura, limiting myself to a guiding influence, a subtle consciousness. That suited me just fine and was far more within my nature as if directly arguing about a point with my girlfriend. Now though, I believed, I had to do something more active. "I don't think we should wait another week. I spoke with Tomoe-san about this recently and share her opinion. We don't have much more time left and you of all people should know that we cannot afford us the luxury of sitting back, relaxing and hoping that everything will turn out to be alright."

"I wasn't…" Sakura started a protest but I was already cutting in again, knowing that if I allowed this to turn into an actual argument before I brought my point across, my courage would surely waver and finally dissipate.

"Sakura, I am the last person who would think that you couldn't make everything alright," I smiled at the familiar words, the _magic phrase_ but then sternly continued, "but you can't achieve that sitting back and hoping everything WILL just be alright. That's not how it works and that is not like you. I've watched this for far too long actually. My assessment of Lisa-san is that of a quiet but very perceptive young girl. That she apparently has dreams about her past life isn't very surprising to me and nor should it be to you. So tell me, why were you really hesitating and why are you still stalling even now, when it becomes clear that she is willing to know?"

The redheaded sorceress and Card Mistress sat in silence for a moment, actually seeming astonished at the speech. I suppressed a flush, knowing that this was necessary. I could already guess where most of Sakura's problem of dealing with the situation came from but it needed to be addressed. Especially for the sake of dealing with it.

"I don't want to mess something up again," Sakura spoke in a near whisper several seconds later. I waited patiently for her to further elaborate, not giving into the urge of denying her statement. She needed to bare her heart for now and why those moments often pained me I knew they were a sensitive and essential necessity. "I couldn't protect you and Syaoran the first time around and I only realized what you felt for while I held you dying in my arms…" A few tears slipped out of her eyes and with a pang in my heart I reached over to brush them away but did nothing further as Sakura resumed her monologue. "Then I was almost too late in finding the Seal Cards and the result almost cost us all our lives and if you hadn't pulled off that Resurrection spell I would have once again made you sad." I squeezed Sakura's hand at that point and pulled her closer, sending reassuring waves over our link, telling her without words that I was here and would always be at her side.

"And then there's Syl-chan. Tomoyo, you have no idea what it was like to be experiencing the symptoms of mana overload as a teenager. I was young and while not naïve still rather foolish in ever allowing something to happen between us. Oh sure, I needed _it_ at this point more than anything else and I enjoyed our time together. But as I said… young and foolish. I couldn't control the urges and I hurt her, really hurt her. Not just physically but emotionally. Her trust… If I… Tomo-chan, I couldn't bear to make a mistake again and cause her hurt in any form and with Pandora already so close I…"

"We," I silently but with a steely edge that bore no argument cut in. Sakura's head snapped up and turned to look at me, flinching slightly under the heated gaze meeting her own. "You are doing it again, you are trying to put all the weight and responsibility upon your shoulders. I might not have your full range of memories but I believe we agreed – on this very roof – that we would both locate Sylphiel's reincarnation, protect her and accept consciously whatever impact that would have on our relationship. So what gives you the right do take all the responsibility here?"

A mixture of emotions flashed over Sakura's face and for a moment there was the brief spark that would ignite a counter argument. But that spark was extinguished practically in the same instance and what remained was a very demure and sheepish girl who many at Neo Infinity would have trouble recognizing as the intelligent and confident student head of the magic wing.

Instead of making any verbal replies, Sakura reached into her pocket and drew out her cell phone, hit a button for auto dial and waited. I raised an eyebrow but she just sent a smile in my direction and I settled for waiting. After a few moments the other party had apparently answered the phone.

"Kinomoto Sakura desu. Is that you Lisa-san?" Short pause in which my other eyebrow joined the first one. "Perfect. I was wondering if you would mind if my partner and I could step by tomorrow. I am sorry this is so sudden but _someone_ reminded me that this business we wished to discuss really can't be afforded to be put off any longer… No, no, that won't be necessary. Tomorrow afternoon I think would be alright…"

Shifting a little to reposition myself, I settled against the other girl more comfortably, content that this argument had been so easily resolved. That was much more like my Sakura, energetic and taking action when it was necessary. Obviously all that she needed was a reminder and someone to give her the necessary courage. And Sakura always insisted that I was the best suited and furthermore only candidate for that job.

******************************

March 17 (Minako)

The way we were trudging up the steps to the Hikawa Jinja I couldn't help but feel a little like some member of a royal family or a goddess being flanked by her most trusted servants. On the one side the tall brunette with a casual but ever-alert manner and on the other side the more quiet dark-haired girl who often seemed as if nothing could really faze her. Right now I could very well detect though the vibes of happiness and unguarded love. Hotaru was making no secret of her affection and so wasn't Makoto… but that was more or less true to character.

"You know," I mused aloud, "if it was any other place I'd be worried what people think of us." The comment was meant more in an attempt to break the nervous tension that had settled over us ever since I had brought up the suggestion that we'd better do something about that memory leak. Especially since something was rather odd about this. I mean alcoholic blackout was a valid reason for a normal human… and even for a Senshi to a degree, at least for a short span of time. But even Hotaru after actually meditating on it for hours hadn't been able to dig up the memories from her subconsciousness.

That wasn't all that I was nervous about. A small part of me was probably hoping that I might get some clues about Peitho. Oh sure, I could ask Hotaru but there was the whole barrier thing still there and I just couldn't get myself to admit to myself that I WAS curious about that past we supposedly shared. _Got yourself in a nice situation, Minako._ Frankly enough, it was becoming frustrating not being able to express the confusing mix of feelings the other two woman were stirring inside of me adequately. Their feelings were starting to affect me and at some points I wanted to just… just… See, what I meant? I had restrained myself for so long that it was hard to rediscover the ease of expressing my heart freely. It's not that I resented the way I had become, a hard-working, successful woman and respected warrior with a purpose, but Makoto and Hotaru were slowly breaking down those barriers.

I felt both my hands being squeezed at the same time and was once again amazed at the harmony of both woman to either side obviously sensing my mood and thoughts turning towards those dark paths that they had been trying to steer me away from for the past weeks. Successfully so for the most part.

"Yeah sure, but considering the company, I think we would be insulting them if we DON'T show who we are interested in," Makoto stated with a snicker and a hooded glance in my direction and further along at Hotaru on my other side. I felt myself blushing slightly and then we had already reached the top of the stairs, arriving on the courtyard of Hikawa Jinja, promptly being greeted by the first pair of _them_.

Hikawa Jinja had never been THAT popular as it had been in these days. Oh sure, the shrine was the most visited in the area but in the greater sense, when it came to the whole of Tokyo or even just the ward… And all of that recent success had mostly been the achievement of those who were simply named the "Miko Sisters". Rei had never been that talkative about how she got all the help from several different girls from several different areas but it had come rather timely, about two years ago when her grandfather had fallen almost gravely ill – but made a good recovery by now – and Rei had been forced to take over most of his duties of running the Jinja at a point where it was hard for us to offer much help because of our education and/or jobs.

The funny thing was, all of us knew that Rei never was one to depend or even favor excessive company. She had always been a rather distant person who stroke me as rather lonely. However, that had gradually changed ever since Sasami's appearance exactly at the right moment when Rei really needed someone she could depend on. As I said, I didn't know all the details but if I could say anything with conviction then that Hikawa Jinja was a much happier place these days. You could literally feel the aura of a sanctuary around you when you stepped onto the shrine's grounds. A sanctuary especially for those misunderstood or recovering from some dark past.

"Hey! There you are, Rei-san has been waiting." The green-haired girl named Mizuki wearing a ponytail in a similar fashion as Makoto did called out when she spotted us. She was currently sweeping the ground. Not surprisingly not too far away the brown-haired Hitomi was looking through some supplies, also glancing up at her companion's exclamation. To be frank about it, those two were the most unusual of the "couples" living/working at Hikawa these days. I couldn't really pinpoint how far the state of their relationship was and the pairing seemed to be a rather odd one, having come across rather recently and not so much rooted in a long past together. Or at least that's what my _radar_ was telling me.

Sparing a few words of greeting in return, we followed Hitomi's directions who pointed us towards the main meditation room where the Holy Fire was located. I realized with some manner of guiltiness that we hadn't been here as often in the years since Galaxia's demise as we had been before that. Especially I hadn't and so I took in some of the changes that spoke clearly of Rei's influence; she was proving to be a much better manager of business for the Jinja as the old pervert had ever been. The current style had something more… modern, while still holding onto the somewhat ancient and traditional quality a shrine was supposed to emit.

Just short of the prayer chamber we were greeted by the second pair. "Just in time," the dark-haired Kagome said, "Rei said she's finished with the cleansing." She smiled warmly at us and gestured for the door. Her companion sitting next to Kagome, equally dark haired but with her hair braded, nodded at us and Hotaru moved forward to carefully slide open the door.

Now I wasn't overly spiritual-trained but there was no way even a totally inapt person could not perceive the purity of the chamber. Just entering into the room told you immediately that the girl sitting in front of the fire was very capable of what she was doing and if you had the pleasure of knowing the raven-haired miko you could tell that her powers had vastly increased over the years since she had been a young teenager with dreams of one day taking over the Jinja and becoming the successor of her grandfather. In my opinion, Rei already had succeeded at both goals in all but formal acknowledgment. None of us, not even Michiru, could hope to match her spiritual skill these days and that made her the most logical choice at attempting the great mystery resolving the life that was currently growing inside of me.

"I'm glad you found time for us, Rei," Hotaru said in a manner of greeting but clearly expressing her gratitude.

"There is no need to thank me, Hotaru-chan. We are all family after all and that is the least I can do. Now let us see if we can't break down whatever blocks your memory of the conceiving night, ne?" The wink didn't go unnoticed and I stubbornly suppressed the flush. Rei had become a lot more open with her feelings nowadays, too. Undoubtedly another side effect of the clearly positive influence of the younger, blue-haired girl whispering something in the head miko's ear before, with a short, polite bow, slipping out of the room.

The nervousness began to return again but I refused to give into it. This was a necessity as I, myself, had pointed out, and if someone could draw out the clouded memories of THAT night, it would be Rei.

There was the subtle hope that maybe this was just exactly what I needed to make sense and voice the feelings in my heart.

******************************

(Hotaru)

"One warning before we begin," Rei drew my attention back to her. The three of us had all settled in front of the fire, our backs facing the hot, cleansing flame warming our backs and – since we were all psychic adepts to a degree – feeling it burn away any kind of negative thoughts or emotions. I didn't use to be here so often during the days of our frequent battles but the change in purity as well as potency was evident.

My gaze had lingered for a moment on the obvious cause for the change in the Senshi of Fire. Here, in the cleansed atmosphere of the main prayer chamber, barriers and emotional shields were greatly reduced and despite some superficial differences I could have sworn Sasami and Tsunami were exactly the same person. But that was another issue that could be dealt with at a later point. Glancing at Rei, sitting lotus-style in front us facing the fire, I inclined my head in a gesture for her to continue.

"From what I gathered from your description, Hotaru-chan, there are some mental blocks that can't be easily overcome, so I will have to link minds with all of you and it will be inevitable that I experience some of those memories from an outside viewpoint just as much as you will."

I had expected as much actually and didn't let myself show any reaction at all. Glancing at the side I could see Minako shift a little nervously and Makoto shrug nonchalantly. "I would believe we are family here and trust each other that whatever gets revealed here will stay between the occupants of this room," I said finally and prodded both of the other woman at my side with a gentle stare until they eventually nodded in consent.

"Then let us begin," Rei closed her eyes and I did likewise, easily letting myself fall into a meditative trance. I could feel the close proximity of the other pure souls joining mine in a small cluster on the Astral Plane, the fiery glow of Rei hovering just a distance away. Knowing that none of my two lovers had the spiritual experience and level of concentration necessary, I already had to make most of the work. Gently extending my senses, I began to connect my mind with that of the other two who were – reluctantly at first – opening their own mental shields to allow the connection to settle in between their own awareness and my own, as well as establishing the remaining link between themselves following my example and guidance.

Rei had meanwhile finished her own preparations and was extending her senses towards our linked minds, focusing imaginary, probing fingers on the memory parts hidden in our individual spirits and souls, drawing what had been blocked from our conscious awareness. A moment later a stream of blurry images began to flare before my mental eye – well, to be precise, we all shared one mental eye, so to speak, right now.

This was not unlike the normal state of the memories we were seeking. Images shrouded in mist, too fast and too unfocused to be perceived by the waking mind. Slowly though the stream seemed to settle down, gradually adjusting the raging river it resembled to a clear lake. A lake in which stones were thrown, creating ripples, ripples producing individual images. But unlike the more coincidental impacts a stone thrown into a lake would produce, these were calculated. The images that soon formed together into more coherent and comprehendible memories were those that were of real importance right now. While not giving a full account they were fix points of the events and with them present in our memories, the missing gaps would be filled on their own.

To be frank I expected something more… juicy to visualize first. What actually took form was a memory I vaguely remembered to earlier on in the evening of the party. Some of the others were dancing, precisely Usagi with Mamoru and Rei with Sasami… while Minako was acting a lot out of current character, mixing with the couples in  a clearly provocative manner, usual inhibitions reduced to a sliver of normality. That wasn't so much of importance – even though I did sense some of the embarrassment from our mutual love over our mind link. No, what was more important was the conversation I had been listening in on between Makoto and myself.

I was – and there wasn't a nice way to put it – so drunk it hurt to look at, really. And if my adoptive parents ever learned about that I'd sure get an earful. And in that detached, irrational state a plan was hatched that would have massive consequences, consequences I could only see now that we have reached the near conclusion of them. It had begun innocently enough, Makoto and I complaining in a depressed state about the unfairness of neither of us having any kind of chance with Minako. Makoto had tried to cheer me up, obviously trying to ignore her own feelings and push me in Minako's direction… I even dimly remembered some of that _talk_ and now that I actually saw the scene the memories were coming back and I could almost predict the exchange that followed. Even while I wondered how exactly it had come to this point.

"… you probably would have to get her pregnant in order to get Mina-chan to really notice you." That was Makoto's – as I realized only now – attempt of dry humor, yet the statement turned out to become a catalyst in the events to come which had eventually led us to the point of today. I remembered dimly how Phoebe had somehow gotten the idea that the casual-meant comment could actually be achieved. A totally ridiculous challenge had ensured and in our mutual drunken states was executed with astonishing precision and success.

*Hotaru was sure out of it… Wonder why that effected Saturn though,* I could hear Minako's thoughts as loud as the day. Even if I wanted to, in our current state there was no way I could block them out.

*Minako?" Makoto echoed moments before realization seemed to claim her and held back some kind of question she was about to… formulate.

*We are linked right now. Totally harmony of our minds,* I explained to ease our other lover's apparent confusion. *But I am not able to answer that question. In all likelihood all of our Senshi aspects – especially Saturn – should never have been that effected to this degree. That is what really…* Something caught my attention and I mentally willed a replay of the last moments of the scene. I had just hopped of to start pestering Minako with clear intent to set my plan into motion but there was something I had noticed on the edge of my… no, Makoto's perception. *What's that?*

*I remember feeling something… or someone… but didn't pay it much mind then,* Makoto mused and now I could feel the other two taking greater interest in the shadowy figure I had spotted. We watched in a mixture of astonishment and confusion as whoever it was apparently slipped something in Makoto's drink, neither one present even seeming to take notice of the intruder… And then I got a brief flash of the aura Makoto had picked up…

I tried, I really did, but I couldn't suppress the mental scream of outrage at the realization of the exact identity of the mysterious visitor. Both Makoto and Minako recoiled somewhat at the uncharacteristic sneer before I willed myself to calm down enough to say with an exasperated sigh, "I should have known it was him. I swear when he shows his face around here again, I'm going to have a few words with that meddling… Not that it will do any good...*

*Um, you know that guy?* Minako tentatively asked and I sensed a spark of recognition from her as well.

*We did, yes. That is the most notorious, meddling Mazoku – a kind of demon race though I wouldn't define him as _Evil_ in the sense you are thinking of – that has ever wandered this planet. True to his nature he likes to call himself the Mysterious Priest, Xelloss."

******************************

(Makoto)

It was about an hour later when the mental trip down memory lane was finally finished. It had felt more like a few minutes actually but I had long since learned to never go by simple scientific logic, not that I was any good at the field myself. After the first big discovery, the process had actually been rather swift and the first memory had already suited as a trigger to break through the blockage and the rest of the recreation of memories was more a reliving process than actual surprise. I was still rather amazed at some of the… err, more vivid images.

One thing, however, had been made clear… No, let me rephrase that. The long expected fact was now visually confirmed. It had indeed been Hotaru who – under the semi-magical alcoholic influence – had changed Minako's mirror and it had been her – and only her – that had initiated a complete gender transformation making it unmistakable clear that the child was hers. I had merely been present.

I had taken a walk while the other two recovered from the somewhat straining mental exercise in their own manner… To be honest I felt rather tired myself but there was just so much on my mind that I needed to be alone for awhile. The truth had lurked in the corners of my mind for some time now but having it confirmed in such a vivid, detailed manner was a different thing altogether. Now, everything was brought into broad daylight and the implications were sending my mind and heart reeling, wondering where my place in all this was. As expected the child was Minako and Hotaru's.

Then there was the aspect of past lover's reincarnated and I was not oblivious to the signs, the spark of rekindling between the two while my relationship on both ends seemed to stagnate from my point of view. All major steps in our current arrangement had apparently something to do with them, never really with me. I merely was there. I tried frantically to deny it, but more and more I could see that eventually the place in our relationship that I occupied would lose its worth… if it ever had any in the first place.

I stopped and retreated back behind the corner when I spotted two figures ahead. My aimless stroll had led me outside onto the porch. Obviously someone else had had the same idea. From what I could see Rei had just recently joined Minako on the wooden planks and there was a semi-heavy silence between them. I debated joining them but was actually curious to what would be discussed. A curiosity sparked by a glimmer of hope in my depressed state. I didn't know what I hoped to gain but somehow my instincts were telling me to stand back and listen.

"I can't say that I know how it is being with child, so I probably shouldn't apply wise suggestions about the topic," Rei began and I had to smile. None of us, except our Princess, could probably speak from experience on the topic. And I had never seen Usagi do so in all the time since Minako's pregnancy was revealed – which stroke me as rather odd. But I had other things to focus on then, so I didn't pay it much mind. Besides, Usagi would probably have her reasons.

Minako laughed softly. "I'm not sure if anyone can supply any sufficient advice under these particular circumstances. It's not really like what you read in the books or what a normal physician could help you with." Which was certainly true. Being a creation from two Senshi, two powerful ones at that, there were certain differences in the actual pregnancy which I still had trouble actually comprehending. I was rather glad at least Hotaru seemed to understand them… She was the technical father after all, so that was her duty anyway. Not like me…

A heavy sigh from Minako drew my attention back to the pair and I could see the obvious tension and frustration having spent so much time around the blonde lately that I had learned to recognize body language and other signs almost unconsciously. "I hoped actually unlocking the memories would also help me with my own problems at expressing my feelings…"

The old problem again. Minako had made remarkable process and she wasn't hesitating anymore to seek and accept our provided comfort. But, except from the barely conscious signs that I thought to have picked up towards Hotaru, the lack of an emotional acknowledge apart from the physical one was still present. It pained me because both Hotaru and I could see the struggle and her obvious inability to break the chains she had restricted herself with.

"Maybe I was right after all. Maybe I am really meant to be alone so that I can perform my duty at the best of my abilities," Minako added bitterly after a moment passed and I was almost compelled to the immediate gut reaction of stepping out from concealment and crushing that foolish notion right away. But Rei was obviously just as equipped to handle the situation.

"Do you really think this is all about duty? That is a rather pity excuse you are raising in self-defense here." The blonde woman looked sharply at the dark-haired priestess from whose form the glare seemed to glide off harmlessly like from a smooth surface. "Tell me, Minako-chan. What is it you feel for those two?"

"But that's just the…" my lover started to protest.

Rei waved the argument away. "Nonsense. This has nothing to do with your duty, OUR duty." Minako flinched at the emphasis. "Don't you see that we all share the same path? You'd give your live for Usagi-chan, alright. But so would I, so would Makoto and Hotaru." I had to silently agree with Rei's words, beginning to realize where she was heading with her argument. "Take a look at Uranus and Neptune. Did you ever have the impression that their relationship would interfere with their duty?"

"No," Minako silently conceded.

"Why is that?"

There was a moment of hesitation before Minako answered. "Because whatever they do, they do it together. As part of a symbiotic relationship where one always follows the other." After another slight pause she added, "It's amazing. But also scary."

Rei nodded in wordless agreement and another period of silence elapsed. "I once thought I didn't need love." At Minako's – and my own – curious glance, Rei elaborated further, "I had made some… bad experiences. My parental role model was, let us say, leaving much to be desired for and whenever I let someone close it just ended in disappointment. You are probably reasoning that those relationships you entertained are a façade and maybe that is so. But for what purpose? To not allow the true depth that comes with a true love? Or to not getting hurt again?" You could almost hear Minako shiver and for a short moment the yard was bathed in deathly silence, even the birds had stopped chirping.

Slowly the blonde woman exhaled the breath she had been holding. "M-Maybe you are right. I really don't know what to think right now. But they both did so much for me, they both deserve so much more and I…" Abruptly Minako got up and began to walk off in the opposite direction from where I was standing. I would have probably listened to the urge to follow her since the distress in my lover was evident to the most blind fool. However, her last words had a kind of paralyzing effect on me and so I stood a bit too long to effectively catch up to her retreating form. That last statement had come closer to any emotional revelation Minako had made in our presence. And against my expectations she had not made any distinctions or separated comments. It was "both of us" she had addressed…

I shook my head. That could mean anything and it was apparent that Minako was still confused about her feelings and would have to resolve them soon. And then she did what kind of lasting impact would I have on that decision? Despite the lack of a clear declaration the last now almost two months had been among the happiest in my young life and I was fearing the consequences of the decision that was already made and just needed to be voiced. Yet, they belonged together. That had been my initial intention when I tried to take advantage of the situation at the party by pushing Minako and Hotaru closer together. Somehow I had simply gotten roped in on the action that ensured…

_I would not have done what I did last night if I did not believe I could fall in love with you this way. And whatever happens, I will not just discard you when a better opportunity arises. For that I have grown too close to you over the last year._

That's what Hotaru said to me and I desperately clung to those words. I knew it would be the most sensible thing to step away now and let the love between those two blossom fully, but the truth was I didn't want to. And that wasn't just because of Minako. It was also because I hadn't been able to respond properly that day to Hotaru's heartfelt declaration. Now, now I was pretty sure that while my mind found it most logical to eject myself from the three-way arrangement, my heart could not bear the thought of cutting itself from either of the two woman.

"Your soul mates are going to face a crisis soon, a crisis that will bring about a turning point in your relationship." I battled the impulse of jumping upwards and clinging to the ceiling in shock – almost failing to do so – as the gentle, melodic voice appeared from right next to me. I had been so absorbed in my inner debate that I had not noticed the approach. My head swiveled to the sight to settle upon the form of Masaki Sasami standing there casually and relaxed and yet her pinkish-red eyes reflected a distant, concentrated expression. "Whatever happens. You must stand at your mates' side regardless of your own doubts. If you don't, then there will be no happiness… for either of you."

Before I could formulate the thought for asking about the cryptic warning, Sasami stepped around the corner and shortly joined Rei on the front porch, leaving me to process the words that were continuing to spin in my mind like blinding red warning lights. I didn't know why but somehow I knew that ignoring or not heeding the warning would be the most stupid move I had ever made.

Then something else filtered through the chill the ominous warning had produced.

_Soul mates?!?_

******************************

(Rei)

It was about a quarter hour later that I found myself heading back into the Jinja after seeing the other three Senshi off. Minako seemed to have composed herself, I even believed she had briefly talked with Hotaru before they decided to head home. I wouldn't have minded if they'd stayed for dinner or something, especially with Minako's condition, but I wasn't one to force the point.

I found Sasami in the small kitchen of the shrine area busying herself with cooking something that – as was standard – smelled rather delicious and a tea kettle was also in preparation. Standard signs of distraction. There were a lot of things that I still didn't know about my recent lover but I had by now discerned that Sasami's habit of cooking for the household – including the rest of our loose sisterhood – was not only just something she liked to do. She once confided in me that cooking had been her way of expressing her love to her family and friends. Yet, there had been instances that it had become painfully clear that the activity also provided a quasi retreat, masking the occasions when she was clearly worried about something. Like right now. She hadn't said anything when she joined me outside but from her body language alone I could tell that there was an inner conflict. An analogy that should be taken rather literally.

I stepped up behind the girl that just from appearance alone looked so much like Usagi… or any other member of the royal family for that matter. That is one of the things I still was not sure about Masaki Sasami. I knew a lot of things about her past though that I'm pretty sure would put some of the others on edge, especially the Outers. Not that there was any need to worry but they were known to overreact at times in matters of security. And while I did not know if there was really any relation between the Royal Family and her at all, I was pretty sure right now that whatever was bothering her at the moment had something to do with the many secrets the girl harbored.

This was not just an assumption. I hadn't become what I was today by just idly sitting around and relying on what I've learned in my youth or my Senshi abilities. Right now I was about the closest to what I ever wanted to be. A trained priestess with all my abilities – and those were quite a lot thanks to my second identity – finely tuned and sharpened almost to the edge of possibility. I believe that was a common trait among our group, probably a common trait among Senshi, or to be even more exact among beings with pure souls. We were awfully competitive. We would push ourselves to our limits to reach our utmost maximum and hoping to one day push beyond it. This was not just a manifestation of our duty, a way to get better in protecting what we held dear. The mechanism was tied to our very nature. And in this case the bond that had been created between Sasami and I over the last two years now allowed me to be nearly hundred percent sure what exactly was bothering her.

"So, what was this warning about that you gave Mako-chan? Another precognitive dream?" I gently took her into an embrace and proceeded to slowly but firmly drag her away from her current task and to the table where I proceeded to sit down with Sasami in my lap. Now, I was aware of the rumors mind you, and I believed they were by far exaggerated – which lay in the nature of rumors I suppose. Two years ago, when the younger girl literally dropped into my life I had probably been rather ashamed and/or outraged at such stories being told about Hikawa Jinja – it was bad enough considering Ojijisan's reputation. Much had changed and I didn't care all that much about it. Sasami had helped me to open up more and gradually I had found my special person in the manifold creature – again in the literal sense of the word – before I even really knew it. She was the greatest gift ever given to me next to my family – meaning the other Senshi and those attached to it, not the miserable excuse for a father – and so I wasn't going to idly sit by when she had an obvious problem with something.

"I don't have the dreams anymore. Not the way you think, anyway." I winced slightly at the fierce grip she maintained with her arms around my waist. I reached up to turn her head so that our eyes were meeting. Her eyes could hold so much emotion, both vivid, youthful and mischievous at times and secretive, mysterious to downright brooding and gloomy at others. A delicate balance brought about by the overlapping personalities. If anyone ever came close to resembling Hotaru and Saturn's relationship it was the physically younger girl currently resting in my lap, her forehead touching mine. In a whisper she answered my silent question. "We're close to assimilation."

"Oh." It took me a moment to digest this. Sasami knew I didn't like lying to my friends and fellow teammates, we were like sisters actually. However, she had raised a couple of valid points and I had finally conceded. The other girl had made it clear that she had no problem with revealing her secrets to the others but the time wasn't right. Having dealt with Pluto I knew when to concur to superior ancient wisdom – which one of Sasami's aspects definitely possessed – and kept silent. And it hadn't seemed THAT important. After all there was peace when some of the secret past's of the "Miko Sisters" had surfaced. However, now the situation was dire and Sasami seemed to possess some knowledge about it although she stated clearly that there wasn't anything she could contribute at the moment that any of the others that had been present at Pandora's original capture couldn't.

The point was, I trusted this girl. I couldn't really tell why only that she had a striking similar aura, while more mysterious in nature, as our Princess and it was a given fact that any of us would follow Usagi to the gates of hell and back.

Sasami closed her eyes as if reading my thoughts. Well, she probably did something close to it. While our bond was still rather fresh – really roughly a year and a couple of months wasn't long when compared to others around here who had benefits of relationships rooted in reincarnations – the trust had quickly developed and against my prior experiences had not been broken… yet.

"I'm not sure I deserve that trust…" Sasami started but I hushed her with a finger to her lips followed by a kiss.

When I pulled away I said, "Now, let's do that again. Maybe what I hear I won't like but I am willing to believe that you know what you are doing."

"It's not so much a matter of knowing what I am doing… or will have to do," the blue-haired girl explained. "It's more that I hate myself for knowing what will happen soon and that I cannot change it, that I HAVE TO watch and let it happen. Tsunami had to do that a lot but it's never been easy either…" I couldn't say that I could really relate. This was more up Pluto's corner I suppose since the problem sounded an awful lot what the Time Guardian might have to deal with on a regular basis – the fall of the Silver Millennium for example. I tried to work around the encrypted answers, knowing that I wouldn't get a direct answer until whatever event she was talking had passed. I had become pretty good at that during the period of time we've been living together.

"This IS about the warning, right? Something is going to happen to them and soon…" Sasami looked away in shame and I was torn between comforting my girlfriend and probing deeper for an answer.

That was when my sensed flared in alarm, warning me that the holy grounds of the Jinja had just been invaded by something awfully powerful and EVIL. I had rarely ever felt such an enormously dark presence. No, not the presence was evil. The dark aura was more like a cloak, an affiliation to a higher power that I often had felt within a mindless minion sent by a greater force. But the level of darkness was frighteningly even from within her.

I wanted to jump up and investigate but found myself unable to move, quite amazed at the physical strength in the younger girl who remained sitting in my lap. "Sasami, what…?" It became painfully obvious that she hadn't been talking about an event in the near future but rather close to the present.

"Not yet," Sasami said, the twin circular markings on her forehead evident, having replaced the usual triangle, they were flaring with a bright light right now which was entrancing to even one with the spiritual training and abilities I had. I could not move, even though I wanted to.

And from the other girl's point of view that was good because when a piercing shriek of outrage and fear disrupted the silence of the room nothing could have physically restrained me. I opened my mouth to protest, to demand why Sasami was holding me back. That was obviously Hotaru's voice and the nature of the scream was suggesting something VERY bad had just happened and there would be a truly furious Saturn on the loose very soon.

"Trust me, please. If you really want to trust me, then do it now. We'll be joining them shortly." And true to her word, I could feel power gathering around us, enveloping us in a bluish aura and a moment later we found ourselves outside in the yard. It took me a moment to reorient myself but when my eyes fell on the scene before me, a cold feeling began to grip my heart…

******************************^

(Lisa)

Anxiety was slowly eating its way inside my heart. It was at the same time a new and a familiar feeling. Something was going to happen today, I just knew it. The sensation had slowly grown stronger since yesterday, creeping up my spine and spreading throughout my whole body. I had barely been able to sleep, a numbing fear that even I could not understand awakening me every hour or so. That only helped to intensify the nervousness, I was on the edge of panic really.

All had started with the vision I got yesterday evening during a meditation setting. Well, at first it didn't seem like a vision, more like another memory… or memories. They seemed to be clearer for some reason than the flashes I had had before. They were significant memories, I was sure about that, yet I still couldn't form a bigger picture from the pieces.

There was one though that really shook me. The details were blurry but the setting for some reason was quite clear to me. Although there weren't any indications for the exact nature of the event that was transpiring I felt with a unmistakable clarity, an absolute certainty that I had just experienced the final moments of my life… former life. The question mark that was still put tentatively behind the assumption was washed away by the memory.

The little few details I remembered were not really helpful beyond this realization. I – or that other me – had been performing some kind of spell. A spell so intensively powerful that it was draining every last reservoir of life energy, every last drop of mana. I had known then that such an exertion would be lethal but still kept on going, the alternative somehow – although I couldn't remember why – invoking an even greater terror in my soul. Failure was not an option. Even if it meant leaving everything behind that was dear to me. I had caught glimpses of the other two, by now familiar women, the same determined expression in their faces. And then I had seen IT.

Enveloped in a dome of multi-colored magic so enormous and potent that you had the feeling of being crushed by just looking at it. That was nothing though compared to the distantly female face twisted in contempt, loathing and hate, the sheer WRONGNESS in an aura of such twisted potency I shuddered even now remembering it.

I think I spent an hour just calming down from the experience. Soyo-chan was profoundly worried as should be expected. Heck, worried didn't even cover what I was feeling, my heart had surely been a cold place right then and the feeling hadn't lessened much. I had been relieved when Kinomoto-san called and wished to advance our meeting. Yet, the feeling of dread, of impending doom hadn't left me and I almost had demanded to have that talk right then and there.

Maybe I should have done it. They should be here soon but somehow I couldn't shake off the horrible feeling that it would be too late, too late for what I didn't know. Just simply too late… I wished I had spoken up earlier. Kinomoto was clearly stalling, reluctant for some reason I could not fathom to part with obvious knowledge regarding my dreams, regarding my former life… our former life.

By now pretty much all doubts had been erased that the two women dominant in my dreams were identical with Kinomoto Sakura and Daidouji Tomoyo. However, I still couldn't figure out what exactly our relationship had been. I had a pretty good idea, yet there was too little information, to little facts that could assure me. And even if it was true, where was my place in all this? I needed to know my place, about the nature of the connection that the three of us apparently shared in some manner. It was a vivid urge by now, an undeniable necessity.

I shook my head to try and clear my thoughts, trying to focus of what lay ahead. I probably was just worrying over nothing. More likely than not everything would turn out alright, maybe the vision and those feelings starting to consume me were just there to warn me. Yet… The ache in my heart remained, the desperate longing for something that wasn't there anymore, wasn't there yet, wasn't… I couldn't shake off that feeling and one memory came again and again, unbidden. The one time I had experienced similar symptoms, the sense that something awful was about to happen… I had heeded the warning signals then, not wanting to believe. Shortly afterwards our home, my parents…

A few tears slid to the ground unhindered before I wiped them away with an angry and frustrated hand gesture. Times like this I really did loathe my talents, the spiritual gifts I had been bestowed with. It had gotten better, easier, with Soyo-chan helping but for as long as I remembered there was a restlessness inside of me that had driven me onwards, driven me to travel abroad even against the wishes and fears of my parents. I had found my best friend during those travels but I hadn't yet found my purpose.

The purpose that was here, in Tokyo. I had felt it briefly when I visited Babasan about four years ago. I had felt something briefly touch me, a sensation of belonging. Which was what had eventually decided to bring me back here after everything fell to pieces back home. My purpose was here, beyond a doubt. It was so close now… and yet I couldn't quench the fear that it would be taken away from me just inches from my fingertips.

I wish they would just hurry up and come! I regretted now not giving into the impulse earlier… like yesterday. It would have been soon enough yesterday, I just knew it. I had by now expected Soyokaze to come out, trying to cheer me up, talk some sense into me… Nothing of this had happened. She had been awfully quiet the whole morning, as if sharing the uneasy feeling steadily rising to a pitch. And so I just continued to sit there, on the front porch of the shrine, unsure what to do, how to react to this situation, to the overwhelming feeling of inevitable, dooming events to come. I didn't even know WHAT to prepare for!

I pushed myself into a standing position. They should be here any moment now. Maybe there still was time, maybe I should go down the stairs and meet them, maybe…

*Lisa!*

My nerves were so strained I reacted with almost inhuman speed, whirling around to meet the presence of suffocating darkness that had invaded the shrine grounds. My power bubbled to the forefront, frantically erecting a mental barrier why I began to summon my partner's power to conjure a more physical barrier… All that happened in the space of mere moments and yet all that was in vain in the end.

I was utterly unprepared for the close proximity, unprepared for the hideous form – not so much physically but from the mere astral vibes that it put out – being so close. Realizing with incomprehensible surprise that I wasn't going to be fast enough, a weak scream of fear escaped from my lips a tiny moment before the clearly inhuman assailant plunged something deep into my body, tearing not only through flesh but even more so through mental barriers, right into the very core of my being. My vision blurred and I could only hear the echo of the terrified scream of my partner elemental echoing in my mind.

Then darkness claimed me and I fell into an endless void…

******************************

(Tomoyo)

We were about a block away from the Jinseikuro Jinja when a sharp pain like an arrow right through my heart made me stagger. I half-expected to be caught and questioned by Sakura but when I was finally able to glance to the side I could see that the redhead was just as distressed, her face contorted in a mixture of mental pain warring with intense concentration. The latter won in the end, but only by a margin and there was no telling how long that state would hold.

"Iie… Kuso…" Sakura pressed out between clenched teeth and before I knew it we were flying. I didn't even pay much attention whether she was using Fly or a spell. It didn't really matter. I was more concerned with fighting against my own numbing pain that was worse than anything physical-inflicted could be like. This went right to the core, a ripple of literally soul-shattering agony raced into my soul through a connection I didn't know was even there.

There wasn't a need for anyone to explain what had just happened to me… or maybe I should better say to her. This was similar to the experience of the link between Sakura and myself. Just as strong, just as sensitive…

_Sylphiel._

Touching down in the yard not even a minute later – it still felt like an eternity –  agonizingly slow, too slow. My eyes settled upon the horrifying scene, all my… our worst fears materializing in that one moment. The demonic creature from about a month ago, that on first glance looked so weak enveloping the helpless and limb body of the one girl we had been searching for nearly four years now, that we had finally found, our hopes within close range of bearing fruition… The most traumatizing thing was once again that I SAW what the creature that Sakura called a Seeker was doing to Lisa. I saw and understood on a primal, instinctive level and why not as intense as four years ago when we had been caught in Pandora's gateway the sensation was similar. I could hear the scream of torment echoing over the Astral Plane and shuddered in cold fear.

"Leave her alone!" Sakura screamed, jolting me out of my petrified state. With reserves and an iron will I had barely known I was capable of, I clamped down on the urge to recoil, the instinct to flee, freeze up in terror and all the other paralyzing, numbing feelings. The other girl needed us now, there was time for all that later. Sakura and I barely came two meters before another spiritual blow staggered us, nearly driving us to our knees. It was impossible to describe but the best picture I could give was of glass shattering. That was a weak analogy compared to the real significance but it got the meaning across.

A part of the ancient seal had just been shattered.

There was a flash of light that caught our attention, even as we were trying to advance against the mental onslaught of something vital to us being quite literally ripped apart. In a flare of purple-green the sprite form of Time emerged without any conscious command from Sakura that I was aware of, performing a desperate dive for the creature… or better the near lifeless body in its grasp…

******************************

(Lisa)

The setting was quite surreal. I didn't know where I was but my body felt light, ethereal. I had practiced Astral projection before, only successful to a degree but enough to make a connection. This was yet a little different and actually only a detached part of my mind made the connection. The rest was in a state of denial, having been assaulted by too much terror in the span of a single moment. Tears ran down my face as unrestrained sobs wrecked my body. It had been too much and it still wasn't stopping. The images, the memories blurring. Dark, twisted, horrifying. Every negative emotion experienced was merging together in one big cauldron bringing unendurable torture. All the dark thoughts I had ever harbored about myself or about someone else assaulted my very soul in a relentless onslaught while I fell through the black void, a tunnel with no end, with seemingly infinite reach… and infinite agony…

I could feel the unfamiliar, cold embrace but didn't even begin to react, just staring blankly ahead into a featureless face of a woman with a smile that lacked emotion. "It is alright. Just give me what I want and you'll be free," the woman whispered, suddenly the face overlapped by a myriad of familiar and semi-familiar ones. Family members, friends, Kinomoto/the redhead from my dreams, Daidouji/the dark-haired woman from my dreams. The agony diminished, slowing down with the promise of release right in front of me. All I had to do was… was…

And then, just as suddenly, there was a flash of golden-yellow, followed by an annoyed grunt and then a shriek of pain that managed to temporally break the spell put on me by the hypnotizing presence of the woman combined with the mind-numbing sensations of my darkest memories and emotions. I blinked, glancing to the side at the form of my best friend and partner, the spiritual body nearly shattered and on the verge of distorting…

Another lance of searing pain bore through me with unbelievable force even while my resolve began to harden in the face of my rising outrage. I could feel something straining under the onslaught of unholy power. That was the funny thing. I've experienced a lot of things during my travels but this energy felt neither really dead, undead nor alive and so I was unable to form an effective mental defense before it reached its peak and apparent goal.

There was the deafening sound of something shattering, followed by a laugh so emotionless it was an impossibility in itself. I could feel something being torn away from me and smashed but even then my assailant didn't stop continuing to drain me, the overwhelming energy filling me, consuming me, attempting to…

Lina.

Amelia.

It was the barest spark at first but when the creature I now clearly recognized had smashed my connection to the seal, whatever was distorting the images of the memories before failed to do so anymore. Which produced a fresh bout of fear, however, with the memories slowly coming together, forming a clearer picture, this fear diminished and I found the strength to resist.

Pandora was so shocked at the sudden flare of holy gold engulfing me that it took her a few moments to form a response, giving me more time to focus my inner mana, tapping into nearly drained reserves in a last desperate gamble. There wasn't enough power left to attempt to repair the damage but maybe if I was fast enough…

The woman snarled in anger and launched an attack so massive and powerful it ripped through the hastily erected shield like a knife through tissue paper… just to bounce of a barrier of an entirely different element.

I only managed to catch a glimpse at flowing light-green hair and a familiar fuku, I only managed to hear an astonished "You!" from the creature that had been and obviously was once again our most terrible nightmare and then my soul was yanked away from this place…

******************************

(Pluto)

Guardian duty was a lonely thing. No surprise there. I think everyone got that point by now. This hadn't always been the case. There had been a time, when the galaxy was younger, when the Senshi had been rather new, yes, in this time guard duty wasn't lonely. Boring maybe, but never lonely. There had been someone…

I tried to shake off the memories, that had been why I came here in the first place. Yet even here, or maybe especially here, I could not escape the figments of memories, happier, joyful memories. Memories of companionship, family… love. Memories of her…

The revelations from Hotaru had caught me off guard I admit that. I wasn't used to being so… unprepared. I knew for a long time now that my sight was blocked when it concerned the rise of Crystal Tokyo. I could see beyond it, the many possibilities, the slight variations and the greater discrepancies. I also had a pretty good idea why that was. Because I would play a major role in constructing the future, not just merely assisting, playing my role. It had been like this last time and it would be that way now. Didn't make it any less frustrating though.

The discovery of the trial that awaited us had left me reeling, cursing and lamenting about the cruel fate, that we would have to be put through this again. The sacrifices last time had been enough. It had barely been worth it. The effort, the outcome, everything… In the end too many were lost and even more were left behind unhappy. I dreaded a repeat, yet as a Time Guardian I could not deny the logic behind the nature of the trial… I hated my calling at such points.

And with the remembering that time, the one time comparable as painful as watching the fall of the Silver Millennium, came the memories of my old companion, my sister, my lover, my Persephone. Apart from those few that had direct memories of this time period no one ever remembered her, she was now mostly a memory, reserved for myself, and that was okay. Still, my heart yearned for her presence now, in the face of the reawakening danger, the revival of an ancient struggle that would determine the future fate and very survival of creation. I wasn't sure if I could go through this again, without her…

Persephone had always been there as long as I could remember. We were in a sense quite biological sisters, twins even, but there had always been a much deeper bond than just that between us. The time stream was never meant to be guarded all alone, by a single Senshi. From the moment of our _birth_ we had done it together. Until that fateful moment, until she was taken away from me as just one more sacrifice to establish peace…

"I miss you, Sister," I whispered, not expecting an answer. I was alone here in the mists between time, all alone. Only the gate and I. In a way I could almost feel the gate mourning the absence of our companion as well.

I hadn't been that sentimental in ages, I mused. After the events that had eventually lead to the birth of the Silver Millennium I had retreated back here, shutting the outside world out and burying myself into my duty. It was too painful outside. Everything reminded me of what I had lost, of what we all had lost.

Nowadays I didn't really need to be at the gate anymore. I had once again been associating myself with a specific timeline. That happened sometimes in the face of duty. I was linked with the gate anyway and if I really needed to return here I could do so in a flash. No, right now it was more a solitude, much like last time. Trying to hide from the memories. Just like last time, the success was blissfully absent.

My focus suddenly shifted as I registered a disturbance coming from the very time period I had currently established a link with. Opening myself to the endless pool of possibilities I focused until a clearer picture formed. Seeing the present in the time I was linked to wasn't much of a problem, it didn't give me much of a warning though. And thus I let out a stream of choice words that few beings even could determine the meaning of. There were two. Two disturbances, of the same nature, the same danger…

_Of course there are two_, I chastened myself for the capital oversight. Sure neither of the victims right now had obviously thought about it but that was still no excuse. Seekers ALWAYS traveled in pairs. How could we have been so stupid? And what was even more worrying was that now I could clearly tell that both apparently had the dreaded taint of what was labeled a "Soul Thief" in the old days.

I watched the scenes playing out in front of me, torn inside with the decision I had to make. Both could… would need the assistance but I only had one to spare. On the one hand my loyalty should clearly be with Hotaru and the others, I shouldn't even hesitate. With my very limited sight I could still guess pretty well what eventual consequences this might have for Minako's condition. However, there was already enough potential there to handle the situation eventually. Especially Sasami… Tsunami actually. Did she really think she could fool me that easily? She wasn't even trying really hard. I had watched her from afar after all, as per special request from her sister, and was more or less aware of all the troubles she had gone through. I hadn't paid it much mind when I first discovered her arriving at Hikawa in her current host, maybe I should have been able to make the connection easier. I was usually not one who believed in coincidences. Just another oversight…

And with that knowledge I was reasonably sure she could handle the situation. However, it was my adopted daughter who was currently in danger here. I really should be there. Both Hotaru and Phoebe had been through enough already. If just Persephone would be here, there wouldn't be a problem then…

Another shift of events drew my attention back to the other shrine grounds and if anyone wanted to ever see Sailorpluto stunned and at a lack for words here was the golden opportunity.

I stared transfixed at the semi-translucent form racing towards the targeted Seal Child. The hair, the features, everything, that was… I couldn't believe it, didn't want to believe it. And yet it suddenly made so much sense. It was so SIMPLE that I hadn't even thought about it, secure in the fact that I had really lost…

"Persephone…" I whispered so silently as if fearing the image would dissolve into a shred of imagination. The form did vanish, into the body of the tortured girl that was, but the brief glimpse I had gotten from the aura remained. I could feel her. After so much time I could FEEL her again. That…

Events came to a sudden climax on both ends, disrupting the surge of joy and reminding me of the dire situation. I scrunched up my face realizing that I had been hesitating much too long and ended up not helping anyone in the end. I could feel part of the seal break and cringed at the tremor that shook time and space all around me.

It had begun. Once again.

With only a last glance at the images, I made a decision and vanished from the vast empty plane.

******************************

(Hotaru)

At the moment I wasn't quite sure what to first think about. Some answers had been found today but there were so many new questions. Especially concerning HIM. It made sense now that I had spotted Xelloss during the unsealing of our memories. I hadn't been ready to believe that alcohol alone could have led to temporal amnesia for us. A Senshi, especially my Saturn aspect, was more or less above those things, or much more resistant at least. And I definitely did NOT have a low tolerance level. I had been suspicious of this fact for a long time but now that suspicioion had gotten a face to associate it with.

Then there were my two lovers. I had found Minako somewhat distressed about something but she hadn't been really talkative and so I had settled for silent comfort. It was apparent that the memories had affected the blonde more than even I had expected. She kept stealing glances at both Makoto and me, but for what reason I could not discern as much as I tried. Once in awhile it almost seemed like she was going to say something but then apparently thought better of it, followed by a morose sigh that was barely visible or audible.

Makoto was equally silent. Trudging along on Minako's other side the brunette had acquired a faraway look, as if deep in thought about a complex problem. Frankly, I expected that to happen. The intensity of the night had even caught me off guard. Despite being reasonably drugged there was a harmony there that I hardly believed could be achieved just by the effect of some powerful... whatever it was HE mixed into our drinks. What I saw reminded me so much of Peitho and me that the term Star Mating sprang unbidden into my mind and refused to go away. Oh sure, there was the lack of a proper ceremony but the parallels were just too similar to ignore. The implication was at the same time shocking as it was mildly comforting. I had noticed that Makoto still acted like I would leave her to have Minako all to myself every now and then. If the child wasn't so much the result of the compact's altered magic but turned out to be an actual Star Child the argument would be rendered effectively mute. However, if this was the case, then the pregnancy should have been MUCH shorter. It was much more likely to assume something in between – if that was even possible…

I was so caught up in my own thoughts that I was almost too late to react. With the senses sharpened over more than two hundred millennia I avoided the first strike that would have been lethal beyond doubt. My fuku formed around me with just a thought but I didn't even have time to react to the immediate danger as my senses suddenly flared again, overloaded by the fires of dreadful realization from the brief mental flash of something breaking. No, not something…

I was temporally paralyzed, stumbling under a wave of abnormal wrongness I hadn't felt in over two hundred thousand years. My connection with the seal wasn't in the slightest as strong as that of the three Seal Children but still potent enough to result in a scream of anguish because I knew that very moment that our fate was sealed and the confrontation was now impossible to avoid.

Distracted as I was I had completely forgotten the immediate danger and judged by the initial assault that had already come much too close to success in my opinion, this proved to be a fatal mistake. All I registered was being pushed out the way. The following moments were like a tape on slow-motion as I briefly caught a flash of golden hair wiping through the air, followed by the image of the beautiful face belonging to the hair twisted in agonizing pain.

An image that would remain frozen in my very soul for a long, long time…

I felt my heart clench, engulfed in an icy iron fist squeezing and squeezing and not stopping to squeeze until I was sure it would be crushed right there and then, a silent scream bubbling to the surface with the force of a volcano erupting after millennia of being contained under layers of stone…

"IIE!!!"

******************************

(Minako)

Everything happened so fast, I didn't have time to think. And looking back on all that followed, maybe that was for the best. Who knows what I would have done if I had had time to think. I had been engrossed in my own thoughts, reflecting on what Rei had told me. The problem with the miko's words were that they had been like an arrow hitting the bulls eye. I knew deep down in my heart that what she had said held more than just a margin of truth. The problem was trying to convince the rest of myself. I had put up so many barriers over the years that it had become next to impossible to listen to the voice of my heart. Not that I had become a heartless, cold woman. No, far from it. If it concerned others there was hardly a problem. Yet when the problem was focused on my own happiness.

I had arrived at a point – through the persuasive help from my two lovers – where I could admit that to myself but the statement in turn caused a new conflict of feelings, sending me into yet another emotional roller coaster. The main problem was that I wanted to break out of that cycle, that I wanted to let those two love me and return this amazing and overwhelming loyalty as good as possible. However, while my heart yearned for this, it was scared at the same time. Scared to mess something up, scared of the possible ramifications for my duty and the conflict that could cause, the choice I might have to make.

I didn't want to choose but Rei seemed to forget that if I let myself fall, accepting the feelings that wanted to burst free, then I would either end up sacrificing the light of our lives or doom the lives of the other two because they'd follow me not wanting to stay behind. That's how it was with Uranus and Neptune, and the depth of the feelings from Makoto and Hotaru was surely equal enough to result in something similar.

And that was the main reason why I was scared, scared of their love and scared of returning it. I would surely end up hurting them in one way or another. Or if not, then I would be the one to end up hurt, and I had gone through that too many times already. I wasn't sure if I could bear either possibility…

And thus caught in the whirlwind of emotions, the conflicting extremes wanting to pull me in different directions, I was almost glad – in a purely ironic way – to be presented with an alternative choice. Had the initial attack been targeted at me I was pretty sure I wouldn't have been fast enough to avoid it. As it was I was astonished that Hotaru had evaded the lunge before I even could react to the presence of impending danger. I reached out mentally for my crystal but hesitated for a brief moment and then totally discarded it as Hotaru, Saturn now, staggered an expression of shock and anguish on her face. I had no time to even begin to guess whatever had caused the reaction. My battle instincts now on full alert I caught the movement just in time to act.

And act I did. As I pointed out initially. If I had time to think about my actions, I would have come up with enough reasons to hesitate. However, as it was, I acted out of instinct. There was just a single thought flashing through my mind and heart alike when I moved to push Hotaru out of the way.

She has to live.

The reason was simple, year-old barriers failing in the face of what was about to follow next. My lips moved silently but no words came out. Yet, I hoped that wasn't necessary. Our gazes locked for a timeless moment that was at the same time all too brief. And then I felt the piercing sensation, spreading into a wildfire of pain that followed a direct path towards my soul. I didn't know where I took the last spark of power, yet somehow I managed to fuel everything I could to conjure a hopefully preserving barrier around the seed growing inside of me…

My only regret was that I would probably never see our daughter.

Take care of her, Mako-chan, Hotaru-chan… Aishiteru… 

And then pitch black darkness yanked my soul into a terror promising abyss.

******************************

(Sakura)

I had spent a lot of time with my cards, both in this as well as in the previous time. Recently a lot of that TIME was concentrated on its namesake who had often dropped hints of having more to do with the whole situation as she wanted to confess. Seeing as I felt eternally indebted to one of the mightiest cards – maybe THE mightiest card – ever created, I was not one to question her motives. And yet I couldn't help but wonder, speculate… However, all that didn't help because in the heat of the moment I was thoroughly surprised as the card spirit acted entirely on its own. I stood mesmerized for a moment because the shape I had confronted before at its resting place, the shape that she had assumed countless times before, didn't match the brief glimpse I got of the form now. A bolt of recognition struck me, followed by a flaring of hope that maybe not all was lost.

Sylphiel's aspect of the seal was definitely broken and it pained me to no end that once again I had brought such agony to this innocent, kind woman – and that Lisa in the core was every bit like her that I could be almost sure of. However, I pushed away the panic, self-loathing and other emotions trying to overwhelm me. I slipped completely into the mindset of Lina Inverse and waited just for the right moment to act.

The moment came mere moments after Time disappeared in Lisa's soul. The Seeker shook first with tiny tremors and then a mixture of golden-white and purple-green raced through the creature's body as the soul nearly separated from the body and damned into infinite agony snapped back into place, overloading the creatures senses and abilities.

"FLARE LANCE!"

Just a moment later Tomoyo followed, a little to my surprise but nonetheless a welcomed reaction.

"ELMEKIA FLAME!"

Hot linear fire and a whitish-blue spiritual flame crashed into the disoriented Seeker, staggering it. Another flash of light signaled Time's reappearance. I was on my knees, catching the pale body that wobbled under the sudden transition back into the waking world. Tomoyo was right behind me and soon we had Lisa's form cradled in between us.

Her eyes were closed and the body alternated between shudders and an eerie calmness that had deep concentration written all over it. Concern escalated into full-fledged fear as I was dimly aware of Time – or what once was Time – engaging the Seeker into combat. For the moment I didn't care, my concentration solely upon the fragile girl protectively cradled in between us. I knew what Pandora's victims were put through, what they had to experience. The wound in her abandon wasn't lethal, not physical at least. But the terror the very soul was subjected to... I had not experienced it first hand, yet it was enough to see the consequences within so many people during the old war. In the best cases they were rendered mad, socially useless, eventually driven into suicide in one or the other manner. The worst cases you don't even want to know about.

The fears from earlier came back unbidden, given an all too real form. Again I had ended up hurting Sylphiel. But this time it was not by giving into impulse and need but by hesitating too long, until it was finally too late.

_It's not fair_, I screamed in my mind, tears forming in my mind as I watched the apparent struggle the girl in our arms had to endure in a seemingly vain attempt in keeping her sanity. Why does it always need to be her? My vision blurred but my gaze remained fixed on the purple-haired girl, desperately waiting, hoping, PRAYING for a miracle…

******************************

(Makoto)

As long as I could remember I had been a woman of action. Rather throwing myself headfirst into the battle than standing at the sidelines, watching helplessly while others got hurt. I didn't like that, I couldn't STAND it. Bullying, needless violence… I knew that some would call me hypocrite with that kind of philosophy and I wouldn't even deny that I got myself into a lot of trouble and some of the fights in my youth could surely have been avoided. However, almost every time I had had a good reason. Maybe not always sufficiently enough but enough for me to act.

And so the following moments were pure agony because I couldn't do, I DID NOT DO ANYTHING! Like a casual observer, like watching a movie drama unfold in front of my eyes I could only watch. The first attack had sparked my own instincts but before I even could react to that, things were already getting much more problematic.

_Move!_ I screamed in my mind as Hotaru left herself wide open, overcome by some mental attack as it seemed. My combat and tactical awareness was fully aware of the fact that like this she would make an easy target for a second strike and the creature was moving unimaginably fast. The only vaguely human-shaped figure that had almost given us a run for our money over a month ago had turned barely two or three moments after passing its target. And yet I remained rooted to the ground, my feet for some insane reason not complying with the frantic need all of my other senses were emitting.

This was so surreal, so, so…

_Move, damn it_! I almost wailed mentally in frustration. Sasami's words still danced around my mind. _They need you!_ I pushed through the panic and channeled all the chi I could master, readying my very being to meet the attack of the creature with a countercharge… But it was too late, I had waited too long. And so once again I could only watch in mind-numbing terror, disbelief and denial as it was Minako who moved in the last possible moment to intercept the projectile-like limb that the creature had extended to impale its target. There was a tearing of flesh, a splash of blood that once again froze me in place. I could hear my heart pounding and the merciless inner scream of failure mixed with the almost constant concern having found yet another kind of nourishment. It had been Minako who had jumped into the path of the attack. meant for Hotaru, while I just stood to the side watching, doing nothing. Nothing! NOTHING AT ALL!

I could only stare, paralyzed to the spot, watching with disbelief as these events unfolded too fast for most mortals to even comprehend. It was only the anguished scream from Hotaru that snapped me out of my trance, even while the full impact of what had just transpired threatened to tear my heart apart, echoing the anguish in Hotaru's scream. Instead of succumbing to shock again though, a fury unlike I had ever experienced filled my entire being, my transformation flowed over me with the distant background sound of a massive thunderclap. All my frustration, my inability to act, my guilt and my anger sharpened into a single mass of power when I rushed forward with a shout of murderous rage…

TBC in Phase Three

Author's Note

*Maia pops head in*

[Hey, what are you doing in that manhole?]

*dodges several flying objects*

[Yikes! Oh, that is why…]

*flies away at top speed*

*pops head out from manhole and looks around carefully* Is it okay now?

Heh, I know you are probably hating me now for that cliffhanger. I know because Ay was rather furious after I sent it to her for reading…

Now. This was one BIG part. I probably have to divide it on some archives! So, after you worked yourself through all this, I'll make the notes as short as possible.

First of all. You probably recognized all of the girls from the entry scene to the Jinja in the last segment save for one. If you did, points to you. :) If not, I would hardly blame you. Mitsuki is from the SNES Tenchi Muyo RPG (probably not the best game ever but oh well, I liked the character).

For all of you who have been reading the drafts. The timeline has been readjusted (hence the dates for the flashbacks). This time it is to ninety-nine percent the one I'll be using.

Since I have been asked that question on the SiL list. Yes, there IS a difference between the Tsunami from Phoebe's memories and the one you probably are thinking about and at the same time there is no difference at all. Cryptic, huh? Sorry, that's all I'm going to say at this point.

I realize I've been pretty rough on Minako. Something along the lines of you torture the character you like the most. :) No really, this is all part of the story. The Minako I'm writing in this story is not easy for me to deal with either since I for one hate to do all that stuff to her and often wonder if I'm getting my point across. I have been assured I do, so… Next phase she'll… No, I won't tell. That would spoil the cliffhanger. *goes back into hiding*

This chapter has been uncovering a lot of secrets and a lot of background while at the same opening a lot of questions. Of course I can't go now and explain it all, that would be spoiling the story.

I realize that this chapter had a lot of drama/angsty elements and not so much on the romance side, that WILL change a little in the next phase, the conclusion of the first main story. However, you may keep in mind that this is going to be a rather dark series, apocalyptical and all that, so don't expect light hearted fluff all the way through to the end. ^_^

With the release of this part I have now made a sub-domain/page for the Soul Lights Continuum where in the future all and everything concerning this series will be archived. I'm not sure whether or I'm going to put the SiL/SA drafts there too, but it IS rather likely. If you are enjoying yourself here please step by and visit: 

And of course feedback is always wanted, appreciated and craved. :)

Ja ne, yours

Matthias


	3. Phase Three: Consequences

Title: Soul Lights

Subtitle: Foreshadowed Dusk (3/3)

Status: Alpha

Author: Matthias aka MysticMew

Email: Minarugmx.de

(Plot) Beta-reader: Ayrki

Rating: R

Category: Angst, Romance, Crossover/Fusion (somewhat)

Fandoms: Sailormoon (manga), bits of Tenchi Muyo (OVA), Card Captor Sakura (manga)/Slayers, Ranma 1/2, Inuyasha, Vision of Escaflowne, Magic Knight Rayearth, Skies of Arcadia Legends

Main Pairing: Minako/Hotaru/Makoto, with a side focus on Sakura/Tomoyo/Lisa and Lina/Amelia/Sylphiel (which in a way is the same)

Timeline: Five years after the end of the manga. This is the first Main Story Arc of the Soul Lights Continuum

Summary: Crystal Tokyo is just a few months away when the peaceful lives of the Senshi are thrown into utter chaos again. Can Minako survive the various hardships suddenly thrust into her path and can the Senshi survive their final battle to realize the future they worked so hard for?

Distribution: Soul Lights Continuum (http:sl.catstrio.de), Starsinlove-group (http:act operation on my eyes. They are done separately so that will result in very limited to no eye-straining activity for… well, the better part of a month or a little more. You can still send in feedback and all that but don't expect me to answer until I'm through with the whole damn procedure and all better.

That's actually all. Be sure to step by and look up the Soul Lights Continuum webpage (http:sl.catstrio.de), it's still rather tiny but there will be more information soon. Besides, side stories are still open for taking (look up the Contribution section).

And now feed the muse and the author because we have worked hard and are now hungry!

Ja ne, yours

Matthias


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